Mad Max: The City of Stones
by Venotica
Summary: I didn't believe it actually existed until I saw it with my own eyes. A massive city built inside of the mountains, safe from the worst of the nuclear fallout. This city could be humanity's salvation. My salvation. When I helped Furiosa and the Wives, I was looking for redemption. Now, I'm looking for a reason to be alive. Max/OC. Two years after Fury Road.
1. Chapter 1: The City of Stones

A/N: Thank you for reading my story. I am an avid fan of ALL Mad Max movies, so expect occasional references to the first three movies in my chapters. This story takes place two years after Mad Max: Fury road.

Enjoy, and please remember to leave a review.

Chapter One: The City of Stones

I am a Princess in a city of stone. I was born from King Augustus and Queen Diamond. I have five sisters and three brothers. We are the legitimate children of King Augustus. I also have seven half sisters and two half brothers, but those are my father's bastards and I do not concern myself with them. I am told they are beneath me, and they are. My half-brothers, maybe they will rise in rank through military achievement. My bastard sisters may marry an officer or soldier. If they are very lucky they will marry a Deathlord. But no matter what, I will be wed to a Deathlord.

The world is not as it once was. Nuclear warfare has destroyed every semblance of true civilization that there is. We are underground. Our people prepared. The government built the city in an effort to endure in the event of a nuclear war. The fallout is less, here. But the fallout is everywhere.

My father is the King of this place. He rules the Stone City. His name is King Augustus. My mother is his wife. Queen Diamond. All of the women that are his have gemstone names. In a city of stones, we stand out.

My name is Sapphire. I am the eldest of his unwed daughters. I will be given to one of his Deathlords, when the time comes. To serve as a wife and a breeder to them. It is better, though. Here in the Palace of Stone. I could be in the uppercity, or the undercity. Women are slaves in undercity. Men are slaves there, too.

I am in the room I share with my two other unwed trueborn sisters. I am looking out of the window into the city. Beneath me, the dark city thrums with excitement. Water cascades from a waterfall into the city below, and the torches that light the city reflect in eerie compositions of orange in the water. This city is the shining beacon of hope for life after the fallout. The churning water provides electricity. There are labs built into the city. We have gardens here, food. Society. We have soldiers that keep the peace, and a functioning economy. We are unique.

I walk away from the window and make my way to my mirror in my room. The dress I wear is made of a thin, soft material. It is in a shade of deep blue, an ode to the pretty gem that I am named for. It ties around my neck and hangs down over my body. It's supposed to show off my figure, and make me appear more fertile.

The truth is, it is so hard to have children now. My mother started having us when she was only 15. She's nearly 40 now. She has been so fertile her whole life. But she has lived in the safety of this cave. I hope I am as fruitful as she was. No one has children like that anymore. The women of the uppercity may have two or three live births. The women of the undercity may have one child. My mother had nine. Even if we were only half as fruitful as she had been, that could be four children.

I continue looking at myself. My hair is so blonde it's almost white. Ice blonde, my mother calls it. My eyes are deep blue, so much like the gem I am named for. My skin is pale, because I do not go above ground where the sun is. Too much fallout. I might not have children if I'm too exposed to the nuclear fumes.

I pick up a brush and begin to pull it through my hair. My hair is straight as a pin, much like my mothers.

My two other unwed sisters, Opal and Pearl, are in the room as well. They are reading quietly, waiting. We will be summoned soon. My father is calling his officers in today, and he likes to have us there when he hands out bounties. The men work harder if they think they will be rewarded with one of us.

It doesn't take long before we are called. Our two adult brothers, Tyrus and Colt, come and get us. They are both older than me. They don't look like me and my sisters. They go above, where the fallout is. They go with the Deathlords and the soliders and lead the war machines to fight for our safety. I was never particularly close to Tyrus. He's older than me, aged twenty-four. He looks more like me, with the blonde hair. But he is cold, and harsh. He'd been harmed when he was young and still learning, and he had never been the same after. Colt, is younger than me, only nineteen, and more cheerful. He offers me an encouraging smile as I see him. I slide my slippers onto my feet, and my sisters and I follow behind our brothers obediently to the Throne Room.

The Throne Room, like all of the city, is underground. It is made from carved stone. Behind the throne, three large windows offer a spectacular view of the city. A small cave stream trickles down the wall and into a pool on the far side of the room. Overhead, iron chandeliers cast the room in flickering candlelight. Torches line the walls, further illuminating the room. The city is enormous, and electricity scarce. We only use electricity where it is really needed.

We arrive, and the room is already full. The officers kneel on the ground before the throne, on either side of the aisle in this room. They are organized by skill and rank. The front row is only Deathlords. And each row back comes with men of less skill. They battle through the ranks all the time, all fighting for the coveted position of Deathlord.

The Deathlords are the leaders of our army. They follow the orders of the king, and fight to keep the city from falling into the hands of those who would seek to take it. They are skilled fighters and killers. Ruthless men who fight as if they were born to do nothing else.

We are the last to enter, the three unwed Gems. I walk through the center aisle, past the hallowed eyes of desperate men. They are dying. We all are. They desperately want to stay in this city. It is safe from the marauders and biker gangs and the worst of the fallout. But most importantly, this city means a future. It is the last sliver of humanity.

I walk past the first row, past the Deathlords. There are five of them now. Three are married to my older sisters, Emerald, Alexandrite, and Ruby. The other two are married to the bastard princesses. I do not know the names of the bastard princesses. I don't care to know them. They are not Gems.

I find my seat in the chair next to my father, on his left hand side. I am the eldest now. I sit nearest to him. My mother sits on his right side, robed in gold. I meet eyes with her, and she smiles and nods at me. She has been preparing me for this day since I was a young girl.

She looks like me, and like Pearl. She has the same ice blonde hair that we do, the same pale soft skin. But her eyes are hard with experience. She has raised nine children, three boys and six girls. The boys are warriors, and the girls are princesses. She is my father's most prized possession. I assume that someone is watching Caleb, my youngest sibling. He is only seven, and is not here.

I watch my father glance over at my mother before they begin, and she reaches forward and gently touches his hand. He adores her. I know he does.

I am closest to my father because I am now the eldest daughter, and I am now the highest prize. I look upon the faces of these burnt-out men, and I know soon one will gain the rank of Deathlord and I will be bound to him. As I look past the first five Deathlords I wonder which of these men will be powerful enough to gain my father's attention. Their eyes are all on me, now. Before, they used to hold Ruby in their dead eyes. Now I see the glint of hunger in their eyes when they look at me. I scan over the crowd, looking for a likely prospect. They all return my gaze eagerly. All except for one man.

I have noticed him before. Just a few months ago he was a face in the very back of the room. Now, he kneeled behind just behind the Deathlords, so close to their ranks. He is so tan. He has clearly spent many years above ground, laboring in the sun. He has a short beard on his face and his hair is light brown, bleached from the sun. His skin looks rough, and leathery, from years of standing up to sand and violence. I cannot see his eyes. I look at him, the slump of his shoulders, the look on his face. The way his jaw clenched. I wish I could see his eyes. I wonder what they held in their depths.

With the three Gems seated, my father begins. My father is an older man, in his early sixties. He has a white beard, and hard grey eyes. He wears a fur on his back. It is a luxury item. The rest of him is clothed in leather armor. He is a cold man. Hardened by the fallout. He only cares for a few things. My mother and their children together, and the continuation of the human race.

"You men represent the elite of this city." He begins, his voice booming. "You defend her interests, and protect her future. Humanity can only survive with men like you, bold enough to go into the world and face the enemies that would seek to crumble this magnificent city. There is a man. He calls himself 'The Nightwing'. He leads a band of marauders that attack our caravans and steal our goods when we seek to trade. Valuable items. Food, Water. Fuel. This is a man that must be stopped. Kill him, and ensure the death of his followers. Bring me his head, and I will reward the one who does with the rank of Deathlord, a permanent residence in the city, and my daughter Sapphire. This man is a menace who can be tolerated no longer. Destroy him. These are your orders."

Sapphire felt a tinge of excitement in her stomach at her father's words. Soon, she would know who. With that, the men in the room stood and filed out. The Deathlords stayed behind. They had no desire for these prizes, they had already been rewarded with these things.

My father turned to look at me, and said softly. "Look carefully, Sapphire. In a few days you will be bound to one of these men."

I nod in understanding, and once more my eyes scan the men. Many of them have paused to admire me before they go, no doubt dreaming of the sons I will bring them, and the glory that comes with being a Deathlord. Girls that look like me, and like my sisters, don't exist anymore. The women of this world are run down and beaten. My sisters and I have been kept in pristine condition for the purpose of trade. We are exclusive items, valuable goods. One of us is worth thousands of gallons of fuel.

When the men file out, we are escorted back to our chambers. I walk in first, followed closely by my two sisters.

"Well I'm certainly glad that I'm not being traded off this time around. There were no men in there who appeared remotely capable of bearing strong children." Opal complained loudly as she came in.

I don't like Opal. She complains too much, too often.

"I don't know." Pearl responded. "There were a few who seemed strong."

At her words, my mind wandered back to the warrior in the throne room who would not meet my eyes. I thought of the shape of his shoulders and arms, and the furrow of his brow. I wished that he would have looked at me. He had seemed strong.

I walk to my window and sit on the seat there. I look down at the city, and listen to its sounds. I can almost imagine what a real city must've sounded like before the fallout. I am too young to really know.

Pearl walks over to me, and puts her arm around my shoulders.

"A Deathlord husband. How exciting." She whispers to me. She is trying to make me feel excited. I am excited, somewhat. I have been waiting a long time to marry a Deathlord. It is exciting, in some ways. I was excited watching my other sisters become wives.

Our mother taught us early on about how this worked. Everyone had a part to play when it came to saving humanity.

"Your father is the King. He leads the people, he inspires them. That is his job." Their mother had told them. "But we, we have a different job. I am all that is unseen. I will raise the future leaders of this city. As will you girls. And to your husband, you must be his comfort. The world is no longer a safe place. Make no mistake, every time they go above for us, they are walking towards death. But who else will stand between our safe haven here, and the darkness outside these walls?" She had pulled us close to her, and continued her speech. "We too have power. You are special. You are exotic. The men who you are promised to are powerful, and you can harness their power."

"How?" Ruby had asked. She had been young then. Only eighteen. None of us had yet been given away.

Our mother smiled her soft, coy smile. She was so smart. I don't know who taught her. She had been claimed so young. She must have learned on her own.

"You make him yours. Make him fall in love with you."

"Well how do we do that?" Emerald asked. Her and Ruby were the first to go. Twins. My mothers firstborn daughters.

"There are ways. How you speak to him, how you hold yourself. How you make love to him." She replied.

We all giggled at that. Well, most of us. Pearl had only been six so she didn't understand some things yet.

"You giggle, but it's true." Our mother continued. "Slaves can be bought. Women can be romanced. But you girls. You are Gems. He could've chosen the easy way, but he chose you. He will have to fight through hell and back to earn a place with you. You have more power than you know."

That speech had inspired me. After the speech, the older girls and I had been taught about just what we could do to please our men later that night. I was excited then. But now that the time has come I am afraid.

Pearl gives my shoulders another comforting squeeze and I smile at her. Pearl is my favorite of all of our sisters. She is so young. Only eleven. But she knows this world better than Opal does. She looks like me, with white blonde hair and blue eyes. Opal has brown hair, like our father. But with our mother's face and beauty.

Across the room Opal goes on another tangent, this time directed at me.

"Sapphire, Sapphire. Why don't you tell us what you think? Did one of them catch your eye?"

All Opal likes to do is gossip. It drives me up the wall. I ignore her prying comments, but she continues anyway.

"It's just as I said. There isn't a decent one in the lot of them." Opal taunts. She sits herself down in front of my mirror and looks at me in the reflection. "Poor Sapphire will be left with a weak Lord. How will he ever keep you safe? Surely he will be the shame of the whole city."

My mind drifts to the man with the sad, hard face. The man who will not look at me. "It is easy to call someone weak when you have never been through what they have." I counter to her.

Opal rolls her eyes continues her tangent, but I'm not listening. I go back to ignoring her, and Pearl hugs me tighter. "Don't listen to her." She whispers. "She's just jealous because she knows she isn't half as beautiful as you."

I offer a smile in response, and together Pearl and I giggle quietly. We don't have much time to be together like this. Soon, I will be given away. Soon, I will meet the man I will spend the remainder of my days with.

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A/N: Thank you for reading, don't forget to leave a review of my story!


	2. Chapter 2: Sapphire

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please make sure to leave a review.

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Chapter Two: Sapphire

Two weeks later, I am sitting quietly in the night gardens. They are special, and only have plants in them that can grow underground in the dark. I have a book in my hands, and am reading diligently by one of the lanterns in the garden when Deathlord Marcus approaches.

He is a hulking man. Scars cover his arms and body. There is one scar on his face that starts at his hairline, and runs over his right eye, and over his lips. He is frightening to look at. This is who Ruby is bound to. I can't imagine making love to a man that looks like him. He is so terrifying. But I have seen Ruby with him, and she gentles him more than I could have ever imagined. She is with child now as well. She is the first of my sisters to become pregnant by the man she is bound to.

"Sapphire." He calls to me. His voice is coarse and harsh, and I recognize it immediately. I raise my eyes to look at him, and he responds with a severe expression.

"The bounty has been fulfilled. Your presence is needed." He states simply.

I nod in understanding, and stand. I follow him to my bedroom. This is the last time I will be here. There are some women there, waiting to help me dress and look pretty. I am put in white clothes, because they are supposed to represent being virginal. The dress flows down softly over my body, and is very flowy and very thin. If the lighting was better it would have been nearly see through.

I am escorted to the throne room by Deathlord Marcus. My mother, father, legitimate brothers, legitimate sisters, and bastard sisters are all present.

I am brought before my father, who nods in approval at my appearance. I am clothed in the white dress. It is strapless with a beaded strip underneath my bustline. I am barefoot, and my hair is pulled half up, half down. I walk up the steps to sit in my chair, and we wait.

We do not have to wait long before the doors open and the officer enters the room.

It is the man who would not meet my eyes.

My heart nearly leaps with nervousness and excitement. Of all the men I had looked at, I would have picked him if I had the choice. Perhaps fate was on my side.

He looked absolutely filthy. He was covered from head to toe in sand and dried blood. In his hand was a burlap bag, slowly soaking through with blood. He tossed the bag before the King, and one of the Deathlords opened it to reveal a severed head.

"Is this the Nightingale?" The King asked his guards.

"It is." Deathlord Marcus replied.

My father bellowed a pleased laugh, and motioned the head should be taken away. It was, and my father turned his attention to the man before him.

"What are you called?" My father asked the man.

The man was silent for several moments, and I wondered if he was going to answer at all.

"Max." He finally answered.

"Max. From this day forward you will be known as Deathlord Max. You will reside here, in this city, with as much food, water, fuel, and women as you wish. You have pleased me greatly."

Max did not answer, he just looked straight ahead at the King.

"You will find your new home stocked with anything you should desire." The King continued. He gestured towards me, and I froze, anxiety gripping my body. "And, as a show of my goodwill, I also give to you Sapphire. My most beautiful daughter."

I swallowed hard and stood from my chair. I looked at Deathlord Max, and he looked at me for the first time.

His eyes were grey. That was their color. They were bright and powerful and full of years of pain. His face revealed no emotion as he looked at me, and I didn't know if he was pleased with me or if he wished another. He just kept looking at me with eyes that had seen so much more than I would ever know. The experience behind them, the emotion. They were beautiful.

"Does she please you?" The King asked. "Or would you like another?" He gestured to his bastard girls, and a girl about my age stepped forward. She had brown hair that had a slight curl to it. "My bastard Leah. She is the right age, to be certain. But Sapphire exceeds any of my bastards in beauty and grace. However, if you are looking for someone less rigid, she may suit you more." My father gestured to Opal next, who looked stood obediently but looked shocked as he did. "Opal is a bit younger, only sixteen, but her body is ready. It is of course a matter of opinion. You may choose from them."

I didn't break my gaze from Max's face. His eyes flitted over my half-sister and sister for only a moment, before he looked at me again. My breath caught in my throat as he looked at me, and for a second I was terrified that he was going to pick one of them instead. After a few seconds Deathlord Max broke our gaze and looked at the King once more. "There's no need for another." Was all he said. My heart fluttered with excitement and I couldn't hide the pleased smile on my face. His voice was deep and gravelly. It sounded like he had spent too many years inhaling sand and fumes. I decided I liked the sound of it.

"Very good. You will find she has been kept very well. She has a nice figure, and wide hips. Childbirth will come easy to her. She is quiet, but it is not speaking that you need her for. She reads, writes, and has been thoroughly educated in several different subjects. She has always been amongst my most prized daughters. You will find her a most loyal companion."

The King looked over at me, and motioned with his hand I should go forward. "Approach Sapphire. You are bound to this man, now."

I nodded to my father, and descended the steps slowly. My bare feet made no sound as they moved over the stone, and my white dress flared out with each step I took. I came to stand in front of Deathlord Max, just to his right. His eyes traveled over me once before they returned to the King.

"Thank you, King Augustus." Deathlord Max replied.

The King nodded, and spoke again. "You will stay here, in the Stone Palace. I have had quarters prepared for you. Sapphire can show you."

I nodded to show that I could, and with that we were off. I walked out of the throne room, and I heard Deathlord Max following closely behind me. I could hear the heavy thudding of his boots as he followed behind me. When we finally reached the quarters, I opened the door.

This was my new home.

It was much larger than the room I had shared with my sisters. It had a main room, with formal dining space and a sitting area. Through the dining room there was a set of double doors that led to a balcony and small night garden that overlooked the uppercity. Off the other side of the dining room was a small kitchen. There were two additional bedrooms, as well. The master, which would belong to Deathlord Max, and a smaller room that was mine when I was not sharing his bed. There were two bathrooms as well. One master, and one guest. Like the entire city, this place was carved from stone. There were a few electric lights in this room, but it was mostly slow-burning candles that lit the place.

I heard the door shut behind me, and I turned around to face the man I now belonged to.

"This is the place we will live." I said quietly. "The master is straight ahead. It is for you. My room is off of the living area should you ever have need of me. I will draw you a bath while you get settled."

He grunted in response. Very talkative.

I turned and quickly walked toward the master. The huge tub was carved straight from stone. The city had plumbing, and Sapphire turned a knob and water poured out of it.

Our city was the last one that functioned this way. We had scientists and engineers working nonstop to ensure the city would always stay this way. I heard the sound of heavy boots entering the room and immediately stood and turned around.

Deathlord Max was standing in the room with me. He had lost his jacket on his way in, but was still fully clothed otherwise. I realized now that some of the blood I had seen on him was his own, there seemed to be a gash on his shoulder.

"You are hurt, my lord." I whispered softly, with my head bowed.

"Don't call me that." He immediately said to me.

"What?" I asked in surprise, looking up as he spoke.

"My name is Max. Just Max." He continued.

"Max." I corrected myself. Again, all I got was a grunt in response. I walked toward him apprehensively, and came to stand by him. "You are hurt." I repeated as I looked at his shoulder.

"A scratch."

"Let me help you." I immediately offered. I thought of the speech my mother had given us so long ago. I fetched a chair from the side of the room, and brought it over for him.

I motioned that he should sit, and he hesitated for a moment before he did. As soon as he sat, I busied myself with unlacing his boots.

"You don't have to do this-" He began.

"It is not an issue."

"You're not my slave. I don't own you."

As he spoke, my eyes flew up to meet his, and for a moment there was a feeling of fire within me. "I am bound to you. Please. Let me help you."

He looked at me a while longer, and grey eyes met blue. He finally gave a small grunt of consent, and nodded his head.

His clothes were filthy. Each article I removed was full of sand and blood. When I had finished with his shoes I gently pulled him to his feet, and slowly removed his shirt. I was careful not to agitate the wound on his shoulder, for even though he insisted it was only a scratch it looked rather deep and painful. The last thing to be removed was his pants, and he seemed less than willing to have me help with those. So, instead, I turned my back until I heard him descend into the water.

I turned, and rejoined him at the tub, rag in hand. He looked at me with the same surprised expression he had been giving me every time I helped him.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked me suddenly. I blinked confusedly several times before I answered. "I am yours. I belong to you. If I am not caring to you, I am doing nothing."

His eyes did not leave my face. He was searching for something behind my expression that was going to reveal some ulterior motive.

"I told you, you are not my slave." He repeated.

I dipped my washcloth in the water and rubbed soap on it. The water was still pleasantly warm. "I do not do what I do out of obligational need, Max. I am grateful to you. My life, as well as the lives of those in this city, are indebted to your sacrifices." I answer. His eyes never left my face, but I was otherwise occupied. I decided to get to work on his chest first. It was covered in a mix of sand and blood. I was as gentle as I could be, and avoided his shoulder as much as I could. I would deal with that later. I did my best to control my eyes, but I could not help but to be pleased with what I saw. He seemed strong. His shoulders were broad and muscular, his chest taught. I hoped any children might be just as strong.

He was tense for several minutes, but when I reached his back he finally seemed to consent to accepting my help, and shut his eyes to relax for the first time since he had arrived. I worked slowly, doing my best to be as soothing as possible. When I ran my fingers through his hair, he gave an audible grunt of pleasure which pleased me. I wanted more than anything for him to be pleased with me.

As the dirt washed away from his neck, I saw a burnmark present there. I ran over the burn with my fingertips, and marveled at the raised skin. I had never felt a burn before. He was a citadel slave, or had been. I continued to wash the dirt off of him and slowly a tattoo was revealed on his back. I saw multitudes of information printed there. Information for slaveowners. I read the tattoo as best I could, but stopped when I saw 'Psychotic. Keep Muzzled.'. I yanked my hand away from the tattoo quickly, and he gave a low chuckle.

"Are you afraid of me now?" He asked me. His voice was so deep, I felt like I could feel it rumbling in my ribcage.

I didn't know how to respond. I decided to be honest, instead. "Yes." I finally answered. He didn't reply to me, and I realized that his silence was going to be a normal part of our life together. I decided to try to get to know him, at least a little bit. After all, I was bound to him.

"Why did you come to us?" I asked him after several minutes of silence. I had finished washing his hair and had begun to scratch his head gently. He had given several more grunts of pleasure at this point, and I was feeling bold.

He hesitated before he answered. "Safety, water, fuel." Was all he said.

"You could have lived in the city. But you chose to work your way up through the ranks." I observed.

"More safety in the palace. Water everywhere in here. Fuel whenever I want for free if I'm considered a Deathlord."

His responses were short, and all of them had nothing to do with me. It was disappointing to hear. I stopped scratching his head and walked away towards the cabinets. There, I pulled out some clean towels, medication, and needle and thread. When I turned around, I found that his eyes were open and on me again, but as unreadable as ever. I returned to his side and began to clean his wounded shoulder. He winced as I began to touch it, but allowed me to clean it just the same.

"So you came here for survival." I finally responded.

He grunted his assent to my statement. I understood his logic, but I couldn't help but to be disappointed. Deathlord Mathias had traveled from the Citadel many years ago for a chance at one of my sisters. He had been given a near impossible task, but he had been rewarded with Alexandrite. My Deathlord seemed to think of me as more of an annoyance. As I stitched him, he continued to study my face.

"You're disappointed." He finally said.

I stopped stitching for a moment and hesitated in my response. "No, of course not." I finally answered. I finished stitching him, and cut the string quickly. "I'll leave you to finish." I said, shorter than I meant to. I rose, and took his filthy clothes with me as I walked out of the room. "You can find fresh clothes in the dresser in your bedroom." I shut the door behind me hastily, and made my way to my own room. There, I began to do my best to clean the filthy clothes that he had come with. Once they were washed, I hung them outside on the balcony to dry and shut myself in my room. I expected him to summon me later that evening, but he never did, and I spent the night alone.

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A/N: Thank you for reading! Don't forget to leave a review.


	3. Chapter 3: The Necklace

A/N: Thank you everyone that has read my story so far! I appreciate your views very much.

Thank you to all of my reviewers as well, I read each review and await them eagerly. Some shoutouts for you,

'randomfandom22', 'LittleGreenEyedGirl', 'Frances357', 'southernlove87', 'Raisa', and my guest reviewer.

I will acknowledge one of my reviews, which suggested I had written this story in the third person.

When I originally began the construction of this story, Sapphire was a mute slavegirl (not named Sapphire) who was rewarded to Max after he filled a bounty for a warlord. Additionally, it was a third person story. So, needless to say, the story has changed considerably since its original conception.

I am an English Major, currently in pursuit of my bachelors with just a year of classes left. My intention is to pursue my Masters degree in English immediately after getting my bachelors. Almost all of my other stories I have ever written (including the book I have begun working on) are in the third person. I write fanfiction to make sure that my ability to pump out thousands of words in a matter of hours does not diminish when I'm not in school, and because it's fun. I am pursuing my degree with a focus in writing and composition, and my professors suggested to me that I try experimenting with first person perspective to gain a rounder and more whole skill. I have been enjoying getting inside of the character's mind, and really personifying the character that I'm trying to portray. However, I do miss the universality that comes with the third person.

So, in conclusion, this story is as much a writing exercise for me as it is an entertainment, as are all of the storied I write. And, since I've written over 25k words for this story in first person perspective so far, I'm not going to be re-writing it in the third any time soon. If it's concern over not getting inside of Max's head that is encouraging this thought, stick around until Chapter Five.

With that, please enjoy!

Chapter Three: The Necklace

The trend of our relationship seemed to be one of continuous silence. I did the chores I needed to, and my Deathlord and I didn't speak. It occurred to me that I was an extraneous part of the deal that he did not need, nor want for that matter. He was often gone, and I did what I could to keep him pleased. I laid out fresh clothes for him, bathed him whenever he returned, and did whatever else I could think that would make him happy. But he barely ever said two words to me. It had been over a month since I had been bound to him, and I invited Pearl and my Mother to come and visit me. We sat out on the balcony, and discussed our lives.

"How have you been?" I asked my mother. She was standing, overlooking the city from my balcony. She was so beautiful. Even after nine children, she had never lost the sparkle in her eye, and her icy hair had never lost its sheen. Her eyes never stopped moving as she looked at the city, and I knew her mind never stopped spinning. She paused before she answered, and when she finally turned her head she offered me a small smile.

"Very good." She answered. "Your father has been very attentive, and Caleb grows quickly."

"What about you, Pearl? How've things been?"

"Nothing much has changed with me." Pearl informed me. "I still live with Opal, and she's still impossible to be near."

I giggle slightly at my sister's statement. I didn't envy her.

My mother tisked at Pearl's statement. "You girls know I can't stand it when you bicker." My mother scolded. She did however, add her own quip. "However, I will agree Opal's tongue is far too sharp for her age and position in the world. Hopefully she will get a husband who teaches her to close her mouth." Pearl and I giggled at her statement, and she paused to change the subject.

"What about you?" She asked. She looked at my dress, the white I was wearing, with some surprise. "Why are you still wearing white?"

I shrugged my shoulders in response. "He's not interested in me." I finally stated.

"What?" She asked in surprise.

"It's nothing like I thought it would be. He didn't even want me at all in this deal, he just wanted everything else that came with it." I told her.

"What makes you so certain?" She asked me.

"He told me as much. But besides that, he's almost completely silent when he is here. And that's rare."

"Well, where does he go?" Pearl asked in surprise.

I shrugged my shoulders again. "I don't know. A lot of time he goes above for father. But I know sometimes he goes above on his own. Sometimes I think he just walks the city, too. I swear, he makes an active effort to be nowhere near me."

My mother shook her head and turned around. She walked over to me and joined Pearl and I at the small table on the balcony.

"This will not do." She told me.

"I know. But he's not here enough for me to change it. What am I supposed to do?" I asked her.

She looked thoughtful for a moment before she spoke. "I have heard many rumors about our newest Deathlord." She began. "You remember two years ago, the fall of the Citadel? I have heard he helped bring the fall of the Citadel from Immortan Joe, and ensured Imperator Furiosa's ascension to power. He rescued the wives with her."

My eyes widened as she spoke to me. "Are you certain of this?" I asked her. "He is branded like he was a slave there. His back is covered in tattoo's from the citadel slaveowners."

"I do not know how he did it, but I am certain it is true." She reiterated. She reached forward and took my hands in hers. "Sapphire. It is crucial that he is on our side. He could be a great asset. Or he could be our downfall. A man who can climb from slave to conqueror is someone to be feared."

I nodded in understanding, and just as I did the door to the living quarters suddenly burst open. Max walked into the main room, and I couldn't be more surprised to see him. I hadn't expected him to return for several hours. His eyes traveled over the living space, and it occurred to me that he was looking for me. Why was he looking for me? He never came looking for me. His eyes traveled to the balcony, where I saw a surprised look appear on his face at the sight of other people with me.

My sister, mother, and I rose in unison when we saw him, and together we dipped our heads politely. He hesitated, and then returned the gesture.

"Queen Diamond." He said politely at the sight of my mother.

"Deathlord Max. I have not seen you since your initiation. I trust you enjoy the city?"

"Yes." Was all he answered.

"He talks more to you than he does to me." I whispered under my breath to my mother. She shot me a disapproving look before she continued speaking.

"My daughter, Pearl." She said as she gestured to my younger sister. "Forgive us for intruding into your home. I was missing my daughter, and Pearl her sister."

He was silent for a long time. I don't think he would've said anything at all if it was just me. But this was the Queen.

"It's no intrusion." He finally said. There was silence between the four of us before Max began to walk toward us. He paused next to the dining table and rifled in his pockets for a moment before he pulled out a small box. His steel eyes met mine, and my heart skipped a beat.

"For you." He said simply. With that, he set the box down on the table and walked away. Nobody moved until we heard the door to his room open and close. As soon as it had shut, my mother looked at me expectantly.

"Well what are you waiting for? Go get it." She ordered me.

I nodded and quickly walked over to the table. I heard the footsteps of my mother and sister following close behind me. They stood on either side of me and waited for me to open the box. It was a simple wooden box, secured shut by a piece of string. I tugged the string, and opened the box.

Inside the box was a necklace. I lifted it out of the box, and saw a simple silver chain. But attached to it was a single sapphire. It was cut in a teardrop shape, and glimmered delightfully as I held it up to view. I stared at the necklace in awe, shocked that he had given it to me. I had no idea how he had even found it, or how much it would have cost if he had bought it.

Next to me, my sister began to giggle uncontrollably. My mother immediately formed a small smirk on her face.

"I think he pays more attention to you than you think." She remarked.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't even think he knew I existed most days. And now this?

"Let me put it on you!" Pearl immediately chimed. I began to hand her the chain, but my mother raised her hand.

"Oh, no." She stated. "He will put it on you."

"He went into his room." I told her.

"So? You know how to knock." She replied with her signature coy smile. With that, she beckoned Pearl to her. "Come, Pearl. We must leave Sapphire. She must thank Deathlord Max for his kind gift."

I nodded in understanding, and Pearl gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and a hug before she vanished out of the room with my mother.

I stood with the necklace in my fingers and admired it for another moment before I turned my eyes in the direction of his door. I took a deep breath to calm myself before I walked toward his door. I stopped outside the door, and knocked softly on the wood. My heart began to race as I heard the sound of his boots on the other side of the door. He opened the door and looked down at me.

"Your mother and sister?" He asked.

"They've gone." I replied. "May I come in?"

He moved to the side, and I walked in the room. He shut the door behind me, and as he did I found myself taking in another nervous breath. I heard the water running in the bathroom, he must've been planning on taking a bath.

I turned to look at him, and found him already looking at me. I opened my palm to reveal the necklace and spoke. "Will you put it on me?"

He didn't answer me for a long time, and it seemed like he was fighting some sort of internal battle with himself. He began to walk forward, and he took the necklace from my hand. "Turn around." He finally ordered me. I listened, and turned slowly. When my back was to him, I felt chills run down my spine. I thought of the tattoo on his back and shivered.

"Your hair." He stated. I moved my hair to the side and exposed my back and neck. He carefully lifted the necklace, and clipped it onto me. I felt his fingers brush against my neck, and realized it was the first time he had touched me. I had touched him plenty, but he had yet to lay a finger on me. He seemed to hesitate, and I didn't know why at first. But then I felt his fingertips trail down my spine. The dress I was wearing had a completely open back. I inhaled sharply as I felt his fingers there. They were calloused, and hard. Nothing like my own fingers.

"Turn around." He ordered again. I turned to face him obediently. He looked at my face at first, and then down at the necklace. He reached a scarred hand up to brush along my collarbone. He touched my neck, and eventually reached my face. He pushed the hair back over my shoulder, and his eyes traveled me once more. He ran his thumb along my jawbone and over my lips. His gaze was so difficult to read, at first I wasn't sure exactly what he was doing. Then I realized he was admiring me. He ran his hands down my arms, and to my hands. He placed his hands on top of mine, and turned my hands gently. His fingers brushed over my palms, before he lifted my hand and compared the sizes of them next to each other. My hand pressed against his palm looked like the hand of a child. He let my hand drop, and reached up to the necklace. He held it in his fingers before he looked up at my face and dropped the necklace.

"Beautiful." Was all he said.

"It is very beautiful." I replied, referring to the necklace. "Thank you, for your gift." When I spoke, my voice was shaking.

"I wasn't talking about the necklace." He stated.

At his words, I couldn't help the girlish smile that appeared on my face. I was quick to conceal it again, and return my face to normal.

He smirked at my expression, and spoke to me again.

"Will you bathe with me tonight?" He asked as he toyed with a piece of my silvery hair.

I nodded to him, and he turned and walked away towards the bathroom. I heard him call "Keep the necklace on."

My heart began to flutter anxiously. This was the second legitimate conversation we'd ever had with each other, and now I was going to bathe with him. I took several breaths to steady myself and instead tried to remember the lessons I had been taught. I put the scared girl away, and instead became the Gem that I was supposed to be. I think he expected me to change without him. That wasn't going to happen. He was going to see ma as a woman, whether he wanted to or not.

I walked into the bathroom and he was already in the water. He raised his eyes to look at me as I walked into the room. The dress I was wearing was held up by two thin straps of cloth. I met his eyes, and slid each of the straps off slowly, one at a time. The dress fell from my body and landed on the ground in a soft whisper of sound. I was left in my panties, and the necklace he had just given me. His eyes flitted over my body once, before he dropped his eyes politely and cleared his throat in what appeared to me to be a nervous manner. I smiled just slightly at his shyness, before I slid out of my underwear, and then into the water.

I didn't bother with trying to be coy. I realized if I waited for him to make the first move it would never happen. The tub was easily large enough for several people to fit in comfortably. I moved next to him, and picked up a washcloth from the side of the tub. It was the same ritual we performed every time he allowed me with him while he was in here. Except this time I was actually in the tub with him. I wetted the cloth, and gently pulled it over his shoulder. It had been injured when he had first came to me, but it seemed to have healed well. All that was left of it now was a fresh, shiny scar.

I ran my fingertips over the skin there, and he spoke again.

"You did good work." He commented.

"You heal remarkably quickly." I replied. I reached his neck, and as I did I noticed the brand there.

I moved my eyes to his face, and spoke again. "I've heard a rumor about you." I informed him.

He immediately smirked. "And what is it you've heard about me?" He asked.

"I heard that you helped overthrow Immortan Joe." I told him. "You helped his wives. You put Imperator Furiosa in power."

His answer came in a small grunt.

"Is it true?" I asked him.

"I've done a lot of things." He replied.

"Will you ever tell me about them?" I asked him.

He gave what I assumed was a dry laugh. "If I tell you the things I've done you'll never want to be this close to me again."

"Try me." I pressed.

He just shook his head.

"How many men have you killed?" I questioned him.

"Too many to count." He answered quickly. I didn't answer, and he turned to meet my eyes for the first time since I had gotten in the tub with him. I met eyes with him, and didn't balk under his gaze. "Are you afraid of me?" He asked me.

It was the second time he asked me that. The first time I had been. But after today? I still didn't break his steely gaze.

"Do I need to be?" I asked him.

He smirked. "No. No, you don't need to be afraid of me."

"Then I'm not." I answered.

He went to turn his face from me, but I lifted my empty hand to his face. His arm had been resting on the side of tub, but it flashed up like lightning to grab my wrist as soon as I got near him. I froze, but didn't break his gaze.

"Are you afraid of me?" I shot at him, throwing his own phrase against him.

He looked at me apprehensively for several seconds, before eventually releasing my wrist. I reached toward him slowly, until my fingertips gently touched the side of his face. I have never touched this part of him. I studied his face. He was so handsome. His skin was so dark next to mine, and his beard so rough compared to my soft skin. His face was hard from years of desert life, but the structure of his face was beautiful. I imagined it with one of the hideous steel muzzles they put on some slaves and it made me sad.

"They muzzled you?" I asked him quietly, my voice a whisper.

He didn't answer, just averted his eyes from mine. I released the cloth from my other hand and reached forward to touch the other side of his face. I ran my fingers along his jawbone softly, marveling at the feel of his skin.

"I'm sorry that happened to you." I told him. It was true. I never wanted to see him in chains. I couldn't imagine what it must've taken to cage him.

Again, no response. I wasn't sure if he had reached his daily word limit, or if I had angered him. I let my fingers trail over his face, and down to his neck and chest. My eyes followed my fingers, and only when I had looked away from his face did his eyes return to mine. I smiled, just slightly. I did not know why he could not hold my gaze, but if anything I found it endearing.

"I picked you, you know." I told him as I drew small shapes on his chest. "When my father handed out the bounty for the Nightwing I looked at all of the men in that room and I saw you. I saw you, and I wished that it would be you that would fill the bounty." I do not know what made me decide to tell him.

"Why?" He asked me immediately. His voice was firmer than it had been the whole evening.

My eyes left his body and rose to his face. We locked eyes again, and I answered. "Because you would not look at me. I saw your face, but I could not see your eyes. It had to be you, so I could see into your eyes. Really see them."

He didn't respond, and I lowered my hands from his body. No sooner had my hands left his body, than his hands found their way to mine. He reached for my hips, and pulled me on top of him so I was straddling him. He broke our gaze only for his eyes to rake over my body. I brought my hands up again, and put one on the side of his neck, and the other under his chin. I raised his face up to mine, and forced him to meet my eyes. I leaned down toward him, and whispered against his lips.

"You do not need to be afraid of me."

I kissed him so softly. I pulled away from him, and his face was completely unreadable. I felt his hands slide from my hips to my ribcage, and he pulled my body down to him. I kissed him again, and this time he kissed me back. I wound my hands up in his hair, and our kiss was deepened. His hands tightened on my body, and he bit my lip just hard enough. Our kissing got rougher, and soon I felt his hand reach between my legs, and I felt him underneath me.

I broke our kiss and whispered against his lips. "I've never-" I began.

"I won't hurt you." He promised me. My lips hovered just over his, and I nodded. My heart was pounding. I was terrified. But I didn't stop. My desire for him was outweighing my fear of any pain. I guided him into me, and he grabbed my hips and pulled me down.

I cried out as I adjusted to him, and he moaned as he slid inside me. I felt his fingers tighten on me, and he quickly recaptured my lips in a kiss. He allowed me to adjust to him for a moment, but then his hands pulled my hips against him. The pain was intense at first. But with each slow grind pain dimmed into pleasure. I broke our kiss, and pressed my forehead against his. I remembered what I had been taught about making love. His gaze met mine, and my hips found the rhythm he had been pursuing. He let out a small groan, and his hands loosened from my hips, and began to roam my body. I gripped onto his hair and pulled his head back and kissed him again. The longer I rode him, the more intense my pleasure became. I finally couldn't kiss him any longer, and broke away from him. Small moans of pleasure began to pour out of me, and my sounds only fed him more. I didn't know what I had expected for my first time, but it hadn't been this. My heart was pounding, and something more than primal instincts were pulling me toward this man. I realized I was feeling genuine passion.

Without warning, he pulled me off of him. I cried out in surprise and disappointment, but no sooner had I cried out than he picked me up out of the bath. We didn't make it very far at all. No sooner was my back on the cool stone floor that he was upon me again. He was in control now. He wound his fingers into my hair, and whispered to me.

"You are stunning." He pushed into me, and I received him easily and willingly. I cried out as he pushed into me again and again, and this time my moans came quickly. His mouth found my neck and collarbone, and he gave me small bites that were immediately soothed with a gentler tongue.

My nails raked his back, but he didn't seem to notice at all. He buried his face into the soft skin of my neck and as he continued to thrust into me. I moaned his name almost involuntarily. His immediate reaction was to take me harder than he had been before. My climax came on strong and fast. I cried out as I came, and he quieted my cries with a harsh kiss, but no sooner had I come than he climaxed himself. He broke our rough kiss to let out a deep growl as he came hard inside of me.

My legs trembled, and he lingered inside of me before he withdrew from me carefully. I panted on the ground, with him panting above me. I had felt his desire for me as he had consummated our relationship. He had been wanting this. But there had been something else there. I had felt his desperation as he had made love to me. Some deep need for closeness. I wondered how long it had been for him before this moment.

"Why did you wait?" I asked him, panting still.

"It wouldn't have been like that if it had been any sooner." He replied. "It wasn't enough for me to want it. You had to want it too."

He was right. I would have let him have me that first night. But today, I didn't just let him have me. I wanted him. I had wanted him badly. I had given myself, all of myself, to him. And part of me told me he had given all of himself too.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked me.

I shook my head, and he kissed me again softly. He removed himself from between my legs, and helped me to stand. After I had stood, he tossed me a towel and spoke again.

"You'll stay with me tonight." He told me.

I smiled a small, self-satisfied smile, and dipped my head. "Of course."


	4. Chapter 4: Ghosts and Demons

A/N: Hey guys. Thank to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciate you taking the time to write in on the story. It's very motivating to get feedback from you.

Shoutout to,

'Abhorition', 'reddevil47', 'Annybelle', 'Frances357', 'Bluefox0088', and 'LittleGreenEyedGirl'. Thanks so much you guys!

Enjoy and thanks for reading.

* * *

Chapter Four: Ghosts and Demons

I was jolted out of my sleep when I felt Max move sharply underneath of me. I looked at him in sleepy surprise. I had been fast asleep on his chest. After our bath, I had put on a nightgown and rejoined him in his room. He'd had me again, much to my pleasure, before we had decided on sleep. At first I thought I had imagined him move, but then he twitched sharply again. I watched his face carefully, and I realized he was having a nightmare.

I placed my hand on his bare chest and rubbed as gently as I could. "Max." I whispered softly to him. His eyes blinked open, and he looked around the room quickly. His eyes landed on me, and immediately I knew something was off.

His eyes found me, and he was looking at me as he never had before. He was looking at me like he loved me. Like he adored me more than anything else in this world. His eyes were free of the pain that was normally the primary emotion in them. They were filled with some deeper, older, more powerful emotion. His eyes searched my face, and he spoke to me.

"Jessie?" He asked me urgently. His voice sounded hopeful, happy.

I blinked my eyes in surprise. "No. No, Max. It's Sapphire."

His eyes searched my face, and I realized he did not recognize me. I was about to speak again, when he suddenly lunged at me. I gasped as he climbed on top of me and his hands gripped firmly on my neck.

"Who are you?" He hissed at me.

"Sapphire." I answered back, my voice strained from the pressure he was putting on my throat.

His grip tightened. "I don't know you." He growled. As I looked into his eyes I realized he was not lying. The man that was looking at me had never seen me before in his life. And he looked absolutely furious. His eyes were filled with anger and hate. I was terrified. I realized he could kill me. And I was worried that he wanted to.

"You do know me." My voice was hardly more than a whisper. I struggled to breathe, and my hands flew to his hands. "Please, Max." I whispered.

"How do you know my name?" He snarled at me.

"Because I know you." I continued. I gasped for breath but I was beginning to get dizzy. "And you know me. You are in the city of stones. I am Sapphire, I'm your wife. You brought me a necklace today. We consummated our bond just a few hours ago. You promised I didn't need to be afraid of you, that you wouldn't hurt me."

His face searched mine, and I felt his grip lighten just a little bit, but not enough. I began to choke.

"Max!" I called his name again. My voice sounded broken and pathetic, and I realized I would not be able to call out again. I tried to relax and not think about my lack of oxygen, or how the room was slowly becoming darker. I began to try to scratch at his face, but he was much taller than me and he leaned away. I tried to pry his fingers from my neck, but his hands gripped my neck in a death vice. His eyes continued to frantically explore my face, when suddenly he blinked quickly. He shook his head, and when he looked at me again I knew his eyes. There was no trace of the raw fury that had been there seconds before.

Instantaneously, he released my neck. I immediately began to cough and my breath came in ragged, wheezing gasps. He retracted his hands from me, and climbed off of me quickly. The world rushed back to me in dizzying breaths at a time, and for a moment I felt like I was about to be sick. In front of me, Max was staring at me in what I could only describe as horror.

I gripped my neck to try and soothe the pain there. Max watched me for a moment, before he retreated from me quickly and left the room. I heard the door to the master open, then the door to the house open and close.

As soon as I had caught my breath, I hurried out of his room and back to mine. I only stopped in the kitchen to grab a large knife before hurrying back to my room. Once I was inside, I locked the door shut. I wedged a chair underneath the door knob, and backed away from the door quickly.

What the hell had just happened? I had just spent a month living with him, and I had never seen him act in any way that wasn't completely docile. What I had just witnessed had been beyond disturbing.

I rubbed my neck, sure that there would be bruises there tomorrow. He could've killed me. He almost had.

But had that really been Max? I had not recognized the man that had been trying to strangle me. I had never seen him before in my life, that much I knew. And he had never seen me either. And who the hell was Jessie?

I sat on my bed feeling thoroughly confused, and rather upset. I'd had sex with the man just hours ago. He had been gentle, and kind. A generous lover. I had never thought becoming a woman could have been that painless or enjoyable. And the way he had looked at me then had been more akin to the look he had given me before he tried to murder me. When he had called me Jessie.

I thought of the tattoo on his back, the words printed there.

'Psychotic'. 'Muzzled'.

Realization dawned on me quickly. He was insane. It was the only explanation. I didn't know what had happened to Max before I had met him, but I knew it had been awful. And he was damaged, perhaps irrevocably, because of it.

I hid my knife under my pillow, and stared at the door. I listened for any indication he might be back. As soon as morning came, I would go to my mother. She would know what to do.

* * *

At some point in the night I had fallen asleep again. I woke up with a jolt, and realized I had no idea if he had come home. I dressed myself silently, listening to try and hear some indication of whether or not he was here. I wrapped a scarf around my neck to hide the ugly bruises there. I grabbed my bag, then the knife I had hidden that night. I hid the knife, and moved the chair from my door. It seemed undisturbed. I unlocked my door, and hurried quickly out of the house. I walked through the corridors of the stone palace, all the way to my mother's private chambers. Her guards allowed me in, and I burst into her room.

"Mother!" I called out. I heard light footsteps from the other side of the enormous space, and eventually my mother appeared from a room, Caleb and his nanny trailing close behind. Her home was much larger and far more luxurious than mine. Although the house was mostly for Caleb to have a more familial setting. My mother was with my father often, but when she wasn't she was here with Caleb. She and Caleb lived here together, with the nanny.

"You're up awfully early." She spoke as she appeared.

"Mother." I repeated. "I need to speak to you as a matter of urgency."

She glanced backwards at the nanny, who immediately grabbed ahold of Caleb's hand.

"Come, dear." The nanny commanded. "Let's go for a walk in the Nightgardens and look for those beetles you love." She and Caleb left the house, and as soon as the front door closed my Mother gestured towards the couch. She looked over my blue dress once, and commented. "Nice change of color."

"That's not the point, mom." I continued. I walked into the room, and sat down on the couch. She joined across from me, and raised an eyebrow.

I pulled the scarf I was wearing off of my neck and revealed the bruising.

"He never struck me as kinky." She quipped.

"He's not kinky. He's insane." I answered back, frustrated. I began to explain what had happened, from the moment my mother and sister had left the previous evening until I came to her door this morning. Her brow was creased in thought as she listened to me.

"My life is in danger." I finished. "Please. Ask father to retract my being bound to him."

"I'm sorry that happened to you." She told me, her voice serious. "But I will not ask your father to retract your binding to him."

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling frustrated. "He tried to kill me!"

"It's the apocalypse, Sapphire!" My mother answered. "I'm surprised more people haven't tried to kill you!"

"What?! That is not what you're supposed to say right now!" I shot back.

She sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Sapphire. But you will have to stay with him. Max is the most efficient killing machine we've ever housed in this city."

"What do you mean?" I asked her, confusedly.

"I spoke with your father, yesterday evening, hoping to gather more information that could help your situation. I learned that Max has the highest success margins out of any of our soldiers. He inspires those that serve underneath of him, and in turn they return to the city and sing praises of his victories. He's inspiring the people. Everything he's been put up against, he annihilates. He kills like it's what he was born to do. And he kills for us. He kills who we ask, when we ask. He does this because of the things we give him. Shelter. Safety. Food. Water. Fuel… You."

"He tried to kill me. He doesn't care about me." I muttered.

"Did he try to kill you? You said yourself you didn't recognize the man who was strangling you." She reached forward, and adjusted the necklace hanging from my neck carefully. "Make no mistake, sweet daughter. If he had wanted to kill you, you'd be dead. I think he cares about you more than you know." She stood and walked toward the gardens on her balcony, and I followed closely after her.

"So what am I supposed to do?" I finally asked. I couldn't deny that she was right. We all had a part to play in saving humanity. And if my deathlord was the killer we needed, I had to play my part.

"We don't know what happened to him before he came to us. To say that he is traumatized would be an understatement. Everyone who was not born down here is traumatized in some way." She looked down over the city, and I followed her eyes. It was always dark here. Below, the city was a mixture of electricity and flame. I could hear rushing water as it fell down into the city below. Above, I could only see darkness, but I could hear the churning of the massive fans that circulated air through the city. Across the city, the sets of gates leading into the city waited. There was a long bridge from those gates to the uppercity itself, and underneath of the bridge was a giant reservoir. The city lay before the palace, and the undercity was a level below both.

"Have I ever told you how I came to be Queen?" She asked me.

I shook my head no, and she began her tale. "I was only fifteen when the nuclear war happened. But I was living here, in this city. The daughter of a very powerful politician. My family had secured our position here as soon as the world had begun to fall apart. It lasted down here, for a while. Civilization, that is. But then there was a rebellion. My father and mother were murdered, along with most of the politicians in this city. Do you know who murdered them?"

"No." I asked, already mystified by her story.

"Your father murdered them. He led the rebellion that overthrew those in power, and he put himself in place as the King."

"Did he make you marry him?" I asked, horrified by what I was learning.

My mother smiled. "Oh no. I made him marry me."

I looked at her in shock, but she just continued to smile her soft, coy smile. "You see, my parents were good people. But they were weak. This world doesn't allow for weakness anymore. I decided that I didn't want to be a victim like them. I wanted to take charge of my own life. So, I seduced your father. I beat out girls your age for his affections when I was only fifteen years old. He was thirty-six. So now, in the middle of the apocalypse, I live in a palace and I am called Queen. Because I made the decision not to be a victim."

I looked at her in awe, and she smiled just slightly. "Are you a victim, Sapphire?" She asked me.

I looked at her, and I admired her. She was so powerful, so intelligent. I did not want to be a victim. "No." I responded.

"Good." She answered.

"What must I do?" I asked.

"Help him." She answered immediately. "Who knows how long he was out there, the things he had to do to survive. The people he's lost. He decided to come here, to safety. He accepted you into his life, and if I am not mistaken he has developed some affection for you. You can help him, I do believe. Return to your house. He will come home soon, if he hasn't already come back since you've been here. And when he comes home, he will want your forgiveness. He may not ask you to forgive him, but it will be what he wants. You will forgive him. But do not go into his bed again until its time."

"How will I know when it's time?" I asked.

"You will know. And find out who Jessie is."

I nodded in understanding.

"Your father would have me advise you to walk back into that house now. He would argue that Max is the asset and you are expendable. But you are my daughter, and he may attack you again. How are you going to defend yourself?"

I pull the knife out of my bag, and she shakes her head. "Good, but not good enough." She comments. She beckons me, and I follow her. We go to her bedroom, and she opens one of the drawers of her dresser. She rifles around for a moment, before she pulls a large switchblade out of the dresser and hands it to me. She went to a different drawer and handed me another.

"These are mine. Oh, don't give me that look, I can get more of them easier than you can." She told me. "One to keep on you, and one to hide in in your home. Do not become a victim." She told me. I held the knives and looked at them. I didn't know if I would ever actually be able to use them against him. I put them in my bag just the same.

She grasped both of my hands and smiled. "Good. Now put that scarf back on and hide those bruises. Don't let your sisters or any others see. The last thing we need is some nasty rumors circling about." She told me. "But when you get home, let him see them. Learn from how he reacts, and choose your words carefully."

There was a knock on the door to her quarters, and I followed behind her to the living room. "Enter." She called. The door opened, and a young woman walked in. "My Queen." She began. "The King is waiting for you."

"Thank you." She said with a small smile. "Excuse me, my dear. The King is waiting for me." She nodded to me, and with that walked out of her room. I smiled as she went, forever mystified by her.

* * *

I stood outside the door to my home apprehensively. I was afraid to go in. Every step I had taken from my mother's home to here I had become less and less courageous. I took a deep breath to steady myself before I entered my home. I shut the door quietly behind me, and looked around. The doors to the balcony were open, and I could see Max standing out there, already home.

I almost laughed at how dead-on my mother could be.

I removed my scarf and my bag, and set them on the couch. I walked toward the balcony slowly, and stopped just behind him. Max turned his head just slightly to look at me out of the corner of his eye before he looked forward again.

"You told me I didn't need to be afraid of you." I said to him.

He was silent for a long time. I finally grew frustrated with his silence and turned around to leave. I didn't get more than a few steps away when he spoke to me.

"I'm sorry. I did not believe you should be afraid of me." He finally said.

I stopped, and turned to stare at his back. "Look at me." I ordered him. He ignored me, and instead I said his name. "Max."

He finally turned, and his eyes flicked over my face before they focused on my neckline. It was a shame, really. I had noticed when I was getting dressed that there were other bruises on my neck as well. But those were from when we had made love. They were overshadowed now by the marks from his hands.

He stared at my injuries, and then cast his eyes to the ground. "I can assure you I never intended to hurt you."

"No, of course you didn't intend to hurt me. You were just trying to kill me."

His eyes darted up to mine. "I didn't. That was-" He let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry. I have no excuse. All I can tell you is that was not me. The last thing I want is to cause you pain."

I walked up to him, and looked up into his face. He didn't break my gaze. I looked up at him for a long while. I examined his eyes, his face. There wasn't a trace of anger there. No hatred. Nothing like I had seen the night before. The only things I saw in his steely gaze were sorrow and pain. And something else, something buried away deep. I lifted my hand to his face, and touched his cheek with my fingertips. He didn't pull away, and his eyes didn't falter.

I put my other hand to the side of his neck, and as I did he sighed.

I didn't know what had happened to him last night, but I decided I believed that he didn't mean to hurt me.

"I believe you." I told him. I saw surprise flash across his eyes. "I don't think you would hurt me on purpose."

He cleared his throat and shook his head. "No."

"What happened?" I asked him.

"I thought you were someone else. I didn't recognize you. I can't explain exactly what happened." He admitted. "I've seen a lot of things. I've done a lot of things. Some of them are not so easily forgotten, and some leave deeper scars."

I nodded in understanding before I spoke again. "I forgive you for what happened." With that, I turned from him and walked away. I went to my room, and before I reached the door I called back to him.

"Who's Jessie?" I asked.

He didn't answer at first, just stared at me very hard. "How do you know that name?" He finally asked.

"Just before you attacked me, you called me Jessie."

Max didn't answer at all, and I didn't press him further.

* * *

A/N: Thanks so much for reading, I appreciate it very much. Don't forget to leave a review! They're so motivating for me.

I had a lot of fun writing the scene between Sapphire and her mother in this chapter. Let me know what you guys think of the Queen and her role in all of this, and what you think of Sapphire and Max's dilemma.

Stay tuned, next chapter focuses completely on Max!


	5. Chapter 5: Fear

A/N: Thank you to everyone that has been reading my story. I have nearly 1,500 views in only six days. You guys are awesome.

Extra thanks to my reviewers,

'LittleGreenEyedGirl', 'randomfandom22', 'reddevil47', 'Kei-Kugodgy', 'Abhorition', and 'Frances357'.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Five: Fear

It's so hot.

It's always so fucking hot out here.

I leaned against the War Rig and took a sip from the water bottle I had in my hand, and waited. I had been sent out, up above, by King Agustus. I was accompanied by his son Tyrus, Deathlord Mathias, and Deathlord Marcus.

Together, we were the three deadliest Deathlords. Max, Mathias, and Marcus. Or, at least that was how the people of the city viewed us. But it was true enough. When the King wanted something done right, we were the three he sent. Tyrus was along to watch our example and learn. There was a battalion of soldiers here, too. We were at a canyon, waiting to ambush a group that had been causing more trouble than we wanted near the city. It was making people afraid to come here, and it was hurting the city's already fragile economy.

We had been sent out here a week ago. The day after I had nearly strangled Sapphire to death was when they came to get me. I was ready to go. I didn't know how I was going to be able to look at her again after what I had done.

No sooner had I thought her name, than I instantly I heard the voices. The voices of the dead. I shut my eyes and shook my head, trying to rid myself of them. Their cries bounced around in my brain until they eventually faded into a distant echo, and then a whisper.

I should've known at this point that happiness was beyond me. I was not capable of having it, nor making anyone else happy. The only thing I could do in this world was kill.

I had been trying not to think too much about what had happened. But the bruises around her neck were engrained in my mind. I already had enough dark images in my head. The last thing they needed was some new friends.

I had come to the City of Stones with the purpose of refueling and restocking before I headed out on my own again. I don't do particularly well with other people, so my intention was never to stay here. But then, I had gotten to the city. It had taken days for me just to get inside, there were so many people waiting to get inside. But when I had gotten inside, I had seen why.

The city was massive. Built to withstand a nuclear fallout. So far, it was doing just that. It was carved directly out of the mountain. The city sat in what seemed like a gigantic cave. There was always the sound of rushing water, and churning fans. I learned later that the fans circulated fresh air into the city. Fresh air. Technology had been built into them to remove the fallout.

I had been rather surprised when I had been let in the city. People with severe diseases or too much radiation were turned away. When I had seen the radiation detectors I was sure I would fail. I had spent so much time up above.

But they let me in. We were all cleaned before we entered the city for the first time, and then I was let in.

As soon as I was inside I realized that if I wanted any semblance of an actual life I needed to stay there. There was so much water. The huge bridge leading from the entrance to the cave to the actual city crossed over a huge reservoir. Water meant life. If I was good at anything besides killing, it was surviving.

I lived in the city for a few weeks before I heard that the King was summoning any who wanted to fight for him. I could care less about a man who called himself a King and what he wanted. But then I heard what he was offering to people who pleased him. Unlimited fuel and water. Food. Permanent residence. Like I said, I'm good at surviving. The answer was simple.

I didn't know there were other prizes until I walked into the throne room for the first time.

So. Many. Women. So many of them. All beautiful, all unmarred by this world. They had been born inside that city. They had never been exposed to the raw fallout.

Women were not a motivating factor for me. I was more shocked that women like that existed. The closest I had ever seen to women like that were Immortan Joe's wives.

So, I worked my way up the ranks, one job at a time. I watched the girls get handed out as prizes, each girl more beautiful than the next. Then, I was just behind the Deathlords. I remembered hearing the order for the Nightingale to be killed. I remembered hearing the rewards. Permanent shelter in the palace. Deathlord. Unlimited resources. This was the opportunity I had been waiting for. I wasn't prepared, however, for the last part of the deal. Sapphire.

She was wrong. I had looked at her. I had looked at her many times before. Just not when she was looking at me.

She was stunning. Before the apocalypse, I don't know if I would have ever had a chance with her. She had exotic features, and looked like someone you would only see in the movies. Her pale skin and hair made her appear angelic. The deep blue contrasted sharply against her skin, only making her more beautiful.

Killing the Nightingale had been easy. Or maybe I was just too good at killing people nowadays. Whatever the case was, I returned to the city with the head of a bandit leader in a bag. When I left the throne room I walked out as rich as a man could be in this world, with the most striking woman I had ever laid eyes on leading me out.

She was not the reason I had killed the Nightingale. Not by a longshot.

But when I finally met eyes with her something deep within me had been shaken. Something I had thought was dead. I had looked at the other two girls offered to me, and back to Sapphire again. Her eyes reminded me of the water I had learned to crave so deeply, and her hair cool ice. She looked at me with those deep blue eyes, and I was sold.

I should've picked one of the other two. They hadn't been the same as her. I could see it in her eyes. Sapphire had a spark that the other two didn't have. She had some fire burning deep within her. Some drive that was alien to this sad, grim world. Something more than survival drove her. She remembered something that I had long since forgotten.

I didn't mean for it, but the more time I spent around her, the more I felt the part of me that had died stirring. It was like I was falling out of a dream. It was that easy, and that quick. I began to spend as much time away from her as possible. I roamed the city, took extra assignments. Anything to stomp out the feelings I knew were beginning to reawaken. I had kept that part of me dead for so long. I had learned the pain of a lover's death long ago. It wasn't a pain I ever planned on feeling again.

But staying away from her was equally as impossible. When I wandered the city, I thought about her eyes. I wondered what it would feel like to touch her skin, and her hair. It had been far too long since I had felt what it was like to have sex with a woman. And she was so damn beautiful. I'd wanted to have sex with her the first time I had been alone with her. When I'd heard her voice and watched the way her lips moved. A part of me wanted to take her so badly it hurt. But it wasn't just her beauty that drew me to her like a moth to a flame. She had a kindness and innocence that was completely foreign to me, and to this place. I thought all traces of innocence had been stomped out long ago. Not to say she was completely innocent. It wasn't her existence that was innocent. She knew what she was meant for in this world, knew what men wanted to do to her. It was the innocence of a life unmarred by the true horrors that existed outside the walls of this city.

I cannot lie and say my thoughts about her were completely pure. Part of me, albeit a small part, wanted to crush her innocence. To take her exactly how I pleased. The vast unfairness of this world was staggering to me. How was it possible some had known no pain, and some so much?

But I couldn't bring myself to do it, to take her by force. I could have. It wouldn't really have been by force, she would've let me. But that wasn't enough. I wanted her to want me. I knew she was only there because she had to be, because she had been commanded to be. She didn't want me. Not really, anyway. She was just doing what she had been told all her life she had to do. So I didn't touch her. I just heard her voice as she talked to me. I listened to her sing in her room when she thought no one could hear her. And I continued to wake up. Slowly, but steadily, I began to feel again.

Then I found the sapphire necklace.

We had been on patrol in the desert, looking for enemy raiders. Instead we found an abandoned city. It had been hidden inside one of the sand dunes. After a sandstorm, the dunes had shifted and the city had been revealed. We were searching the city for resources when I found it. I was inside a house, everything was full of sand. I had accidentally knocked a jewelry box over, and when it fell sand had poured out of it. Glimmering in the sand was the necklace.

A sapphire necklace. Of course, out of all of the jewels in this fucking world, it was a sapphire.

I don't believe in God. I don't believe in destiny, or fate, or a higher power.

But a sapphire necklace? In the middle of an abandoned city. In the middle of nothing but heat and sand and death. A sapphire. It was hard to feel like it wasn't meant for me to find.

So I brought it to her as a gift. And for a moment, I thought that perhaps I wasn't destined to destroy everything in my path. For the first time since the apocalypse had begun I was safe, and well-fed. I had begun to forget what it felt like to hate everything and everyone around me. I began to feel like I wasn't just surviving anymore.

I brought it to her as a gift, and she told me she had chosen me. That out of all of the men in that room, she had picked me. And I believed her. I saw in her eyes that she wanted me, and that she wasn't afraid of me as she had first been. So of course, I took her.

I did not intend to make love to her. That was never my intention. But what I had felt when I was with her confirmed the truth I had been trying to deny. I was waking up. A dead man was coming back to life. She was finishing what Furiosa had started. But this time I didn't run.

No.

This time I tried to kill her in a fit of psychosis.

Fuck.

I remembered the terror that was in her eyes. I had completely lost it. What little grip on reality I had left had completely abandoned me and I had nearly killed her. She had trusted me, and I had tried to kill her. I would never be able to explain to her what I saw. How could I explain to her that I had seen her as a skeletal figure, come to reap my soul? That wouldn't go over well, or help her to not fear me.

I decided I was not meant for happiness. I was not meant to make life, or love, or anything pleasant in this world. I was meant for death from the moment of my birth. It was all I would ever be meant for.

Equally as disturbing was the fact that I had called her by my dead wife's name. Jessie. The only reason I remembered her voice or what she looked like after all this time is because my mind had not let me forget. When my hallucinations came, they came hard. And I saw her as clear as I saw the desert in front of me now. I heard her voice like she was whispering right in my ear. I think I've figured out why I attacked her. Underneath the desire for Sapphire, which was considerable, there was an immense feeling of guilt. The guilt that comes when someone you love is ripped from your life, and you find yourself falling for another. I knew Jessie would want me to be happy, it wasn't about that. It was my own sadistic punishment of myself that was causing all of this. Refer to bullet number one: I am not meant for happiness.

Sapphire had told me she forgave me, that she had seen someone else in my eyes. And it was true. I would never want to hurt her right now. The last thing I wanted was to cause her pain. But there was some part of me, buried deep inside my mind, that was only capable of death and destruction. The same part that had initially wanted to crush the innocence in her that I now cherished so deeply.

I didn't want to kill her. I didn't want to hurt her. But I would again. I knew I would. It was only a matter of time. The hallucinations always came unexpectedly. But one fact was certain. They always came back. I had made up my mind. When I returned to the city I was going to leave. I had made my own way for years. I could do it again. I had so many deaths on my hands already. I couldn't live with hers too. Hers would be one too many.

"Max!" I am jolted out of my thoughts by the sound of Tyrus' voice.

I look up and walk towards him. He has a pair of binoculars and is looking over the desert. He hands them to me, and I look into them. I see the war party tearing across the desert towards us.

"Hm." Is my response.

"What do we do?" Tyrus asks me. He still has so much to learn. For a moment I wonder if he and his sister are particularly close. Then I wonder why I am thinking about her right now, when I should be thinking about how to make sure every one of those fuckers is dead by the time they make it to the center of the canyon.

"You stand here and take out as many of the drivers as you can with the long-range rifles. Mathias will help you." I say.

I turn to look at Mathias and Marcus who are a few feet behind us. Mathias nods, and I continue.

"Marcus and I will take the rest of the party and attack with the motorcycles. If they make it past us, we'll blow the canyon and scavenge what's left. The construction crews will come in tomorrow and clear the canyon again. But let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Once everyone was in agreement, we split up.

I sat on the motorcycle and waited. I heard shots being fired, and from far off I heard the satisfying sound of a rig running into another rig. The entrance to the canyon was narrow. They'd have to file straight through to get anywhere near the city.

I raised my gun, and behind me the members of my party did the same. Across the canyon, Marcus and his men mirrored us.

They filed through the canyon, and it was like shooting fish in a barrel. One by one the met the barrage of our bullets. The first large rig made it through, protected by some smaller vehicles, and Marcus and his soldiers descended into the valley. The vehicles began to pile up, and soon we went down too.

We killed them so quickly it was almost sad. Almost. No explosives needed, thankfully.

We searched the vehicles for supplies and began to gather everything we found. I pulled open the door to an overturned car, and heard the gunshot. I felt the sharp sting in my arm, and fell away from the vehicle. The marauder jumped out, and pointed a gun in my face.

I froze, and I was afraid.

I was afraid.

I couldn't remember the last time I was afraid.

' _You don't need to be afraid of me._ '

And in an instant the world fell away, and I didn't feel sand under my fingers. I felt silky soft skin, and I heard her call my name. I felt her hair as I wound it in my fingers, felt the brush of her lips against mine.

Another gunshot, and I was jerked back to reality. The marauder fell down in front of me. I climbed to my feet quickly, and turned to see Marcus standing a few feet off with his gun in hand. He nodded to me, and spoke.

"You alright?" He asked, looking at me quizzically. It was very out of my character to make a mistake like that, or to freeze in the face of death. "You got shot."

"I'm fine." I answered immediately. I glanced down at my arm. The bullet had only grazed me.

"If you say so." Marcus replied before he continued savaging the area.

What the fuck was that? I hadn't reacted at all. I had been afraid. I had been about to die and instead of thinking about how I was gonna save my own ass I had thought of her.

I had to leave. I had to get away from her. For my sake, and for hers.

* * *

We returned to the city later that evening. We entered the gates as the sun set. We walked through the city, and around us the citizens looked at us in awe. They believe us to be brave and noble defenders. They have no idea what it's really like out there.

I would leave in the middle of the night, I decided. When the city was asleep and I wouldn't be noticed by anyone.

When I walked into my quarters she was standing on the balcony, looking down on the city. She was wearing a silver dress this evening. Silver. This city never ceased to amaze me. Where the hell had they gotten the supplies to make a dress like that?

I didn't say anything to her. I just looked at her, standing there. She contrasted against the darkness of the city like a star stands out in the night sky. She was mesmerizing. I wondered if she knew just how beautiful she was, or if she knew just how starstruck I became in her presence on a regular basis.

She turned her head as I shut the door, and her eyes immediately jumped to mine.

"I'm glad you made it back safely." She told me.

I scoffed in response. If I was her I would've been wishing that I had died out there. She wouldn't need to be afraid if I was dead.

I took the jacket I was wearing off, and as I did I winced at the injury to my shoulder. Her eyes had not left me, and she immediately came over to me. She pulled the rest of the jacket off and looked at the injury.

"Not even half as bad as last time." She told me. She offered me one of the small smiles she gave me so often, but I didn't pay attention to it. I was staring at the faded, yellowing bruises on her neck in disgust. I had laid hands on her. I had caused her pain. She realized what I was staring at, and turned away quickly, pulling her hair to cover them as she did. She walked away and when she returned she had a small medical kit. She pushed me down into a chair gently and immediately got to work. I found it ironic that she kept patching me up while I had only beaten her down.

She began to stitch me up, and as she did she hummed quietly. It made me think of Jessie. She used to play saxophone for Sprog and I.

"She was my wife." I finally said after what felt like ages of contemplation on my part. "Jessie. That's who Jessie was."

She looked surprised as I told her this information. She hesitated, before she went back to cleaning my arm.

"She's dead?" She asked. She didn't meet my eyes for this question.

I felt the pain as if it had happened all over again. I didn't answer for a long time. "Yes." I finally managed to growl out.

"Did you have children by her?" She asked me.

Sprog. I'd had Jessie and Sprog in a time before all of this.

"Yes." I answered. Neither of us looked at the other. "A son."

"And he's…?"

"Dead as well." I answered. I kept my eyes turned away from her. I didn't know why I had decided to tell her. It had been so long since I had even said my wife's name. I supposed since I had called her Jessie she at least deserved an explanation why.

"Max." She said my name as though it was hardly more than a whisper. I turned to look at her, and I saw her eyes full of sorrow.

"I'm so sorry." She told me.

I just sniffed and shook my head. I waited until she was done with my arm, and I retreated to my room. I felt her eyes on me as I walked away from her, but I didn't turn around. I had some things to get in order before I left.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Make sure to leave a review, I love your feedback. Tell me what you liked, tell me what you think is coming next. I love the feedback.


	6. Chapter 6: Alive

A/N: Thank you to everyone that read the last chapter. I had a great response on it, getting nine reviews. Thanks so much!

Enjoy, and remember please leave a review!

* * *

Chapter Six: Alive

I lay in my bed staring up at the ceiling and wondered how I was ever going to get close to Max again. He was so damaged, so hurt. I wondered if he could even be repaired after everything he had been through. I had watched his face as he told me Jessie was his wife, and told me about his son. The more I learned about him, the more I knew that he did not deserve any of the awful things that had happened to him. I resolved to help him, if I could.

He had made love to me, and I had felt that he was not a monster. He was a broken soul, barely clinging to a reason to live. He needed a reason to be alive. Not just surviving, really alive. He had been alive with me. I had felt it. I wanted to help him. I wanted him to be alive again.

As I lay in my bed, thinking of Max, I heard his door open and close. Immediately afterward I heard the heavy sound of his boots, walking rather quickly, across the house. It was far too late for him to be headed somewhere. I don't know how I knew, but I knew as soon as I heard his heavy footfalls that he was leaving.

I immediately leaped from my bed and opened my door. I saw his back at the door to the house, his hand on the handle. He had a backpack on his back.

"Max!" I called to him.

He froze at the sound of his name, and turned to look at me. I could tell he didn't intend for me to know that he was leaving.

"I couldn't sleep." I stated to him honestly. "I was thinking about you."

He didn't move from where he was, but I walked closer to him.

"Are you leaving?" I asked him.

He didn't answer me, but he did turn around to face me fully.

I went to stand directly in front of him, and in the dim light I looked up into his steely eyes. "You can't leave." I told him.

"I can't stay." He answered.

"Why? Why can't you stay here?" I demanded.

"Why do you want me here?" He countered. "So you can live your days in fear of me?"

"I don't fear you." I lied. In one motion, he grabbed me and pressed me against the wall next to the door. He used one hand and his body to pin me there. The other hand began to lift my dress, and I instantly knew what he was going for. This dress was too thin, he must've seen it. I squirmed my hand free, and reached the garter on my leg with my knife in it before he did. I flipped the blade out, and pressed it against his neck. "Don't." I warned him.

He chuckled darkly. "You're not afraid, right?" He asked. I didn't break my gaze, or take the blade from his neck. He leaned closer to me, and as a result the blade pressed harder on his skin. I saw red blood begin to flow from where the blade was pressed against his neck. "Were you planning on killing me?" He asked me.

"Only if I had to." I answered back sharply. I pulled the blade from his neck, and threw it to the side. He looked surprised as I did, and I took the opportunity.

"You can't leave." I told him.

He continued to press me against the wall. "Why?"

"The city needs you."

He scoffed. "The city will get a new deathlord."

"And so will I." I answered immediately. "I know you don't want that."

"What the fuck do you know about what I want?" He shot back.

"I know you don't want to run anymore. If you wanted to run you would've never came here. You could've stayed in the city, could've been an officer. You chose to be a Deathlord. You chose to live in this place. Here, with me. That's not the action of a man who wants to run."

"You don't know anything about me." He growled at me.

"I would if you would just tell me!" I shot back just as quickly. He didn't answer me, and his eyes searched my face. I took hold of my opportunity. "I know you felt something when you made love to me." He opened his mouth like he was going to correct me but I cut him off. "Don't try to call it something else. That's what we did. I felt something, and I know you did too."

He still didn't answer, and his eyes grew more conflicted. He let me off the wall, and with both of my hands free I reached up to his neck. I held him there, and his gaze didn't leave mine. "Don't leave." I whispered, my voice shaking as I pleaded with him. "I know you're afraid, I know you've been hurt. But you don't need to run anymore. Let me help you."

He shook his head as he exhaled heavily, and closed his eyes. I didn't let up.

"You don't have to just survive anymore. You're not alone anymore." I slid my hands from his neck to his shoulders, and I pushed the heavy backpack off of him. It slumped to the ground, and I slid my hands to his chest.

"Max." I said his name softly. He opened his eyes, and lifted them to me.

"You'll be safer if I'm gone." He said.

I shook my head. "No, I won't be. I know you never meant to hurt me. But someone else could. Someone else could come here, and they could want to hurt me. Marauders could take this city if you leave. You know what will happen if they do."

"I gave you these." He answered. His fingers lifted to my neck, where his fingers traced along the bruises there.

"You gave me this." I took his hand in mine, and gently moved his fingers from the skin of my neck to the necklace hanging there.

I saw his jaw working, and I moved my hands to his neck again and pulled him towards me.

"Please, Max. You are not dead yet. We are not dead yet. Stay here. Stay here and be alive with me."

"I've done this before." He told me. "I can't lose another wife. And if I killed you because I couldn't control my mind-" He cut himself off.

So he did care for me after all. He cared a lot.

I could see how difficult this was for him. He was a hurricane of conflicted emotions. I picked his hand up and placed it on my face. His thumb ran over the skin of my cheek, and I whispered to him again.

"Stop punishing yourself for what you cannot change, and take control of the things you can."

He shut his eyes again, and I stood on my toes and kissed him gently. When I pulled away from him, his eyes were open. He leaned down to me, and kissed me softly. I kissed him back, and wrapped my arms around his neck. He pressed me against the wall behind him, and I felt the desperation in his actions. He was a dead man walking. He needed a reason to be alive besides the basic primal urges that had been driving him for so long. I could give him a reason, and he knew it. But he was afraid. And who could blame him? He had already lost Jessie. And people died too easily and too quickly nowadays. I understood why he didn't want to stay. There were a lot of factors here. But I couldn't help but to feel that his soul was worth fighting for. He broke our kiss, and when he looked at me I could see his eyes searching my face. I wasn't sure what he was looking for, but I wanted him to find it.

"Let me in." I whispered to him desperately. "I know you want this. Stop battling with the past." I reached for his hand, and gently picked it up. I kissed a calloused palm softly, before I placed it on the side of my face. "I chose you. Out of everyone, I chose you. Something larger than both of us has brought us together."

"I don't believe in fate. Besides, the only reason you want me here is because your city needs me." He muttered back.

"Maybe once you did not. But even you cannot deny what you feel. Something brought you here, to this city, and to me. You're right. This city does need you. But I need you too. And you need me. If you leave now, I shall never see you again, and both of us will regret this moment for the rest of our lives."

His gaze never broke mine. I knew now what he needed, more than anything else. He needed someone to accept him, for all that he was. The anger and hate and rage. But not just for that. For the beauty that was there too, hidden deep away. He could be gentle, kind. I had felt it, I had seen it. He just needed someone to bring it out in him.

He sighed heavily, and reached out to touch my hair. His fingers ran through the silky, silver strands, and he spoke again.

"I can't do this again." He told me. "I can't. It will destroy me."

"Or it will fix what's broken."

His eyes drifted from my hair back to my face. He looked at me a long time before he spoke.

"Tell me you want me to stay." He told me.

I hesitated before I said it. I had to mean it. I know I did. He would know if I didn't mean it. "I want you to stay." I told him. "Please, Max. I want you to stay."

He brought his hand to my chin, and tilted my head up toward him. He brought his lips down to mine, and we kissed again.

Instantly, this was more intense. I felt his desire burn more than I ever had before, but it was matched equally with my own. Part of me was still afraid. I didn't know that I would ever not be afraid of him again. But holding back wasn't going to help him. It was now or never.

I knew it was time.

I broke our kiss, and he looked at me in surprise.

"I want you to make love to me." I told him.

The surprise never left his eyes, but he did not deny me. He nodded to me, once, before his lips found mine again.

I reacted immediately, and pulled myself against him. He wound his hands in my hair, and deepened our kiss. I slid my hands under his shirt, and couldn't help but to marvel at the hard muscles awaiting me. I lifted his shirt, and he pulled it off for me. I heard the soft sound of it hitting the floor. He freed one hand of my hair, and explored the rest of my body. He ran his hands over my breasts, down my ribcage, and down to my thighs. He hesitated for a moment, before he reached down and lifted me. I wrapped my legs around him, and he carried me to the couch. He laid me down on it, and climbed on top of me. I made quick work to rid him of his clothes, and he made quick work of ripping apart my dress. He paused before he began, and hovered above me. His eyes explored my bare body, and he gently ran his fingers from my shoulders, down to my breasts and stomach. I could see him marveling at the softness of my skin. He brought himself down to my body, and trailed soft kisses from the inside of my thigh all the way up my body. My body shivered as his tongue pressed against my skin, and I cried out quietly when he marked my breast with his teeth. When his eyes returned to my face, he kissed me softly again, and I reached between us to guide him into me. I cried out as he pushed into me, and I heard a small groan escape his lips. He gave me a few moments to adjust to him. He wound one of his hands up in my hair, and the other ran up my thigh and lifted it to rest on his hip. He began to push into me, and as soon as he did his fingers gripped onto my thigh. I began to moan quietly, and he leaned down and captured my lips. When he broke away from me, our eyes locked again. I looked up in his eyes and saw emotions that were foreign to those gray depths. Passion. Joy. Maybe even love. But more than anything, he didn't have the same sad, dead eyes I had first seen on him. There was fire in his eyes, and I was the oxygen fueling the spark.

* * *

I woke up hours later in my bed, tangled in the sheets and completely naked with Sapphire sleeping soundly in my arms. She was naked too, and the events of the previous night flooded over me in one quick wave. I had been ready to leave, and she had convinced me to stay. I had told her to tell me she wanted me to stay. I had to hear it from her. I had to know for sure, without a doubt, that she wanted me here. So when she told me she wanted me to stay, I had listened carefully. Not for the words coming from her mouth, but for everything else her body was telling me.

She'd told me she wanted me to stay, and I believed her.

Just like when she told me she had picked me.

So I stayed.

And then she had asked me to have sex with her. _She_ had asked _me_. I didn't consider myself a weak man. But that was before she had looked up at me with her dazzlingly blue eyes and had asked me to make love to her. I was very weak in that moment. So I had done as she had requested. And I did so again a few more times that evening.

We had slept soundly through the night. Both of us. And Sapphire had a new set of bruises on her now. Her breasts, hips, and thighs were now littered with tiny bruises. But these were from my fingertips or my mouth, a consequence of our lovemaking. I knew she hadn't been upset about those.

I watched her sleeping form, and ran my fingers through her soft hair. I hadn't hurt her. She had stayed with me the entire night, and I hadn't hurt her. She shifted in my arms and made a small noise in her sleep. She was completely bare, her knife left behind in the living room. Against everything, she had chosen to trust me again. And I realized that against everything, I had chosen to trust her too.

I didn't move, I didn't wake her. I just watched her sleep for a long while. She was so peaceful. And I could've been wrong, but she looked happy. I had done that. I had made her happy. I saw the necklace I had given to her resting on her chest in between us. As far as I knew, she hadn't taken it off since I had given it to her.

I had learned a great many things about her last night, and myself. I knew now that she cared for me. That somehow, through all of this, she had begun to care for me. I had already known I cared for her. I had fought with the decision of leaving for some time before I had left, worried over what would happen to this innocence if I left it unguarded to be marred by this world. Hearing her say aloud what would happen had shaken me.

 _She_ had shaken me. Badly. I didn't mean to let her get close to me. I didn't let anyone get close to me. But somehow, she had slipped through the cracks in my walls. She had seen through everything I had been holding back. And she had been right. I was tired of just surviving. I needed a life with meaning in it. If I had ran again, it would've been towards death. But she had convinced me to stay, convinced me there was something here worth living for.

But my existence here put her in danger. I was a timebomb. Who knew if I would go off again? I sure as hell didn't know and neither did she. I thought about the knife she'd had on her, and I knew I needed to let her carry it again. If I woke up to her dead body in my hands I would never forgive myself for that.

She stirred in my arms, and her eyes blinked awake. I saw the surprise in her eyes as she woke up in an unfamiliar place. But then her memory came back, and she looked up at me with sleepy eyes.

"Good morning." She said with a yawn. She shifted and laid her head on my chest and pulled her body closer to mine.

"Good morning." I replied. She smiled as I spoke.

"I feel like I've been through a war." She sighed.

"I hurt you?" I asked her immediately.

She shook her head no immediately, and laid down on my chest. We laid in silence for a while, before she began to speak.

"Max?" She asked me.

"Hm."

"You know about a lot of things, right?" She asked me.

I couldn't help but to chuckle. "I suppose."

"What does rain feel like?" She asked me. I was surprised into silence for a moment. She had been born after the war. Here, in this cave. She probably had no idea about a lot of things. It was surprising to me, because she was so intelligent. I knew she read often, but she had never been able to experience half the things she had read about. And she probably never would. Apparently I had taken too long to respond, because she kept talking.

"I can't believe water used to just fall out of the sky." She continued.

"It used to fall out of the sky a lot. It feels like taking a shower, but much less concentrated." I told her. "Sometimes it would be frozen. Depending on where you were in the world."

"Snow." She told me.

"Yes, snow." I agreed.

She continued. "I hate that I will never know what it feels like. But I feel like it's easier that way. I've just never known it. But you knew, and had to lose it."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. I'm glad I knew it once."

"Do you think the rain will come back?" She asked me.

I shook my head. "No. Not while we're alive, at least."

She nodded solemnly, and I suddenly had an idea. "Go get dressed." I told her. She looked at me confusedly, and I continued. "I have something I want to show you."

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Remember to leave a review. Let me know what you think about this chapter, and what's in store next! I love getting your feedback, your reviews inspire me!


	7. Chapter 7: Rain

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review!

Ok, so I forgot to give a shoutout to everyone who reviewed chapter five, so now I'm going to give a shoutout to everyone who reviewed chapter five, and everyone who reviewed chapter six too.

Here we go,

'Bluefox0088' (For chapters 5 and 6), 'Abhorition' (Chapters 5 and 6), 'Grace', 'Grimjaww' (Chapters 5 and 6), 'LittleGreenEyedGirl' (Chapters 5 and 6), 'James90', 'Frances357', 'Annybelle', and my two guest reviews!

I really appreciate each review, and look forward to them so much. They really motivate me to keep writing, and sometimes they even inspire the story depending on your input.

For those of you wondering if this is going to be a fluff-fest or if it's gonna get intense, I will put your fears to rest.

It's gonna get intense. Not at first, there's a lot of things that have to be put in place before it gets really crazy. But when things start escalating they're going to escalate quickly. Without further ado, here's chapter seven!

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Chapter Seven: Rain

I followed behind Max quickly as he led me out of the palace. I had only been to the city a few times in my life, and I was nervous. I didn't have anything to be nervous about. I had Max with me. But still. I didn't know what to think. I'd always heard that the city had murderers and pickpockets and rapists.

The doors to the palace opened, and I peered out at the city nervously from behind Max. I pulled my hood up around my face, and reached forward to take Max's hand. He looked surprised as I did, but he didn't reject me. He just led me forward.

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

"You'll see." He replied.

He led me down the steps, and into the city. We walked through the bustling masses of people, and I got stared down by each person we passed. I realized how vastly different I looked from all of them. Each one of them was like Max. Tanned and hard-looking. I must look like an alien to them. I expected cat-calls, but any man that cast his eyes on me soon after cast their eyes on the man who was leading me. Max didn't have any trouble getting us through the crowd. I realized that many of the people knew who he was. Many of the men in these streets were soldiers, and had probably served underneath of him. Some dipped their heads respectfully as we passed. I realized that if they knew who he was, they must also realize who he was leading.

Myself, my brothers, and my sisters were something like celebrities in the city. Everyone knew who we were, but I didn't know any of these people. I heard some people whisper 'Sapphire, it's Princess Sapphire' as I walked past. I was wearing my signature blue, my sapphire necklace, and was with Max, who it was known I was bound to. No wonder people were staring.

We walked a while longer, until we exited the main part of the city and began to reach the edges. Soon, all the people vanished and we began to walk past rows of glass buildings, and I stared at them in wonder.

"Where are we? And why are all these houses made from glass?" I asked Max.

"The agriculture district, and they're called greenhouses. You know, for a Princess you don't know very much about your own city."

"I'm not allowed down here normally." I answered. "It's not safe for me."

"Understandable." He answered. "But you're with me, now."

I smiled just slightly at his words. I never thought I would hear them come out of his mouth. "And so I am."

He pulled me into one of the greenhouses, and I realized immediately why it was called a greenhouse. The whole room was filled with vibrant green plants under bright lights. The air felt sticky to me, it was a sharp contrast from the dry desert air I was used to.

"The air feels so wet." I told him.

He chuckled. "It's called humidity."

I began to explore the greenhouse, with Max staying close behind me. I noticed he kept his hand rested on his gun, even though we were alone in the greenhouse. I knew I had been right. I was in danger here, but he had no intention of letting anyone near me.

I passed all the plants, and eventually I came upon some trees. They were green and leafy, and as I got closer I saw they were covered with tiny little white flowers. They smelled absolutely amazing, and I recognized the citrusy smell.

"Orange trees." I stated. Max nodded to tell me I was correct. I reached up, and traced my fingers over the small white buds. "I've never seen a flower like this before." I told him.

"They'll turn to fruit soon." He answered.

"I read that they have to be pollinated in order to grow. We don't have any bees here." I responded.

"No. Everything here is done by hand. Including the rain."

Immediately, my eyes jumped over to him excitedly. "Is that what you wanted to show me?" I asked him.

He nodded, and vanished among the plants. I waited by the orange tree, and was completely unprepared when it began to rain down on me. I let out a squeal as the cold water came down onto me. Once I had adjusted to the cold water I walked into the aisle of the greenhouse, and tipped my head back and closed my eyes. The water was soaking through my clothes, but I didn't care. I had never felt anything like this before. We didn't even have showers at the palace, I just knew what they were. This, this was completely foreign to me. I laughed aloud as the water fell down onto me, and stood there for a while. I thought of the photographs I had seen of stormclouds, and imagined dark swirling clouds overhead. I stood like that for a while, before I dropped my head down and opened my eyes.

Max was standing in front of me again with a small, bemused, smile on his face. I shot him a huge, overjoyed smile, before I tilted my head back again and let the water fall on me. It was wonderfully refreshing. As the water ran over my tiny form, I felt remarkably cleansed. I tilted my head forward again, and looked at Max.

"How are you doing this?" I asked him.

He pointed up. "Sprinkler system."

I walked over to him, and stood before him. "It's good enough for me." I replied. "Is this really what it would feel like?" I asked him.

"Pretty much." He answered. "Sometimes the wind could change the direction it was coming from, and it didn't always rain hard. Sometimes it rained so lightly you could barely feel it."

"I think it's absolutely perfect." I told him. "I want to live in it."

He laughed aloud at my statement before I spoke again. "Thank you, for this." I told him. Without him, I would've never seen any of the greenhouses, or the flowers, or felt the rain. I closed the gap between us, and stood on my tip toes to kiss him. I had read about that in books, kissing in the rain. It was a very romantic notion.

Now that I was doing it myself I understood why. Max pulled me towards him, and he kissed me back. I felt his hands find their place on my hips, and we kissed until the sprinklers shut off abruptly and we were left rainless once more.

We kissed for a minute after there was no rain too, until he pulled away from me. He pressed his forehead against mine, and spoke. "I wish you could know the real thing."

I smiled softly at his words and lifted my hand to gently touch his face. "You wish I could feel the rain, and I wish I could make you as happy as you've made me."

He smiled just slightly before he pulled away to kiss my forehead. "Your happiness is enough." He answered.

He took me through the greenhouses a little longer, and I saw all sorts of amazing plants for the first time. I was completely taken back by the vast array of life that I was seeing, and I realized that I was becoming privy to all of this all because of Max. If I had been confused about how he felt about me before, there could be no question now. In his manner of speaking to me I knew he didn't spend time with people like this. I was probably the first person he had gotten close to in years. And I felt privileged. I had made a difference in his life already. That much I could see.

We even managed to find a less humid greenhouse that aided in the drying of our clothes, and after some time, we began the walk back to the palace.

He took me a different route this time, through the market place. It was a bright beehive of activity, as people and creatures roamed through the streets. I didn't notice most of the conversations, but one suddenly caught my attention.

"Please, sir! My son is dying. This medicine will save his life."

I turned my head at the sound of a desperate woman's voice, and stopped in the road. Max was walking just ahead of me, his hand in mine. He stopped as I did, and turned to see what had caught my attention.

"You alright?" He asked me.

"Yeah." I replied. I didn't move, and listened for the voice again.

"Please! How can you be so cruel?" I finally spied the woman, just a few market stalls away from me. She looked old and run down. There were tears streaming down her face, and my heart broke for her.

"You have nothing to give me, I have nothing to give you." Came the unemotional grunt of the salesman. He was a tall, unfriendly looking sort of man.

"I live in the undercity. I have already given everything I have to save him. I have nothing else. Please, help me." The woman pleaded.

I went to let go of Max's hand, but he tightened his grip. I turned to look at him, and he just shook his head at me. I yanked my hand away harder, and managed to slip from his grasp. I slipped through the crowd, and I heard him call out, "Sapphire!" Just behind me.

I approached the woman at the stand, who was still in an arguing match with the man.

"I tell you, woman. You have nothing to give, I have nothing to give." He told her sternly.

"Give her the medicine." I ordered the man.

He cast his eyes over to me and stared me down. Next to me, the old woman looked at me in shock.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" The man snarled at me. My eyes widened. No one talked to me that way. But I didn't back down. I drew my hood down from my face, and revealed my blonde hair, perfect skin, and the sparking Sapphire gem on my chest.

"I think I'm Princess Sapphire, daughter of King Augustus." I retaliated.

"Even Princesses' pay here." The man countered.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Max walk up through the crowd just behind me. I met eyes evenly with the salesman. "My payment will be allowing you to keep your tongue after speaking to me in such a manner. I don't want to repeat myself. Give her the medicine."

Quite a crowd had gathered at this point, and several people were watching. But the shopowners eyes were no longer on me. They were focused behind me, on Max. I heard him walk forward from the crowd. He had taken his gun out of its holster at this point, and I heard the click of the hammer being pulled back.

I heard the deep, familiar rumble of his voice and smiled at his words. "I would listen to her, if I were you." I liked the sound of Max's voice very much.

The man glared at me, but his eyes were flitting between Max and I urgently. He handed the woman the medicine begrudgingly.

"Was that so hard?" I asked him. When he didn't respond to me, I continued. "Go to the palace and tell them the price of your medicine. It will be repaid to you."

The man nodded once, and I could tell he was not pleased at being bossed around, but no longer angry. He would get his money, which was all he really wanted.

The crowd around us dispersed, and next to me the old woman tugged on the sleeve of my dress. She was quite wrinkled, and looked like she had spent too much time in the sun.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." She whispered to me. "You have saved my son's life. How will I ever repay you?"

"To know your name would suffice." I responded.

"May." She answered me immediately. "My name is May."

"Go to your son, May. I hope he gets better quickly."

"Thank you." She whispered to me, unshed tears shining in her eyes. "Good things come to those who show kindness to others." With that, she scurried off in the market, presumably in the direction of her home.

I turned to face Max, and he was looking at me with an unreadable expression on his face. I stepped toward him, and slid my fingers between his. He tightened his grip on my hand, and led me out of the market. We didn't speak again until we were on the steps of the palace.

"Why help the old woman?" He asked me suddenly. "People live and die in this city every day. You've never even been down there and seen what it's like before today."

"I have been down there before." I retaliated. "Just not often."

"Why?" He pressed.

"Maybe one day I will be down on my luck and someone will help me." I responded.

"Or maybe one day you'll be down on your luck and no one will." He answered.

I pulled him to a stop, and he turned around to face me. "This world will never change if we all continue to live the same way." I told him.

"And what, you're going to change it?" He asked me.

"If every person in that city did a kind act for someone like I did for that woman, it would be a different place." I retaliated. We met eyes evenly on the steps of the palace, and after a moment he nodded.

"You're right." He finally responded.

I smiled at my victory, but he continued to talk. "But what you did was foolish. You could've been hurt, or kidnapped."

"I had you to protect me." I answered.

"Don't go overestimating my ability." Max argued back.

"What do you mean?" I asked him. I supposed in my mind Max was invincible. I found it hard to believe anyone could defeat him.

"That shopkeeper? Sure, he was easy. But he didn't have any hired men working for him, no guards to safekeep his shop. If you had picked a different man, I could've been brawling in the streets. Slaughtering civilians never looks good. And having a general killed in the streets by a band of angry civilians looks even worse. And believe me, as soon as I went down those people would've been all over you."

"You wouldn't go down." I immediately piped back.

He smirked just slightly. "I'm not invincible, Sapphire. No matter how much you wish I was."

"Fine." I finally consented begrudgingly.

Max took a step down so that we were on the same level and pressed his lips against my forehead affectionately. I knew his words were out of a desire to keep me safe. He was afraid of being hurt again, of losing me like he had lost Jessie.

"Thank you." He answered, before he continued back toward our home.

It didn't take us much longer to get back, and almost as soon as we had Max crossed the living room to where my knife still lay discarded from the night before. He picked it up from the ground and held it in his hands and looked at it for a long time.

"Do you have any more of these?" He asked me.

I decided to tell him the truth. I didn't think there was a need to lie to him. "Yes. One more in my room."

"I'll bring home a few more. I want you to put them around the house." He folded the knife up, and held it out to me to take. "Keep this one on you."

I reached forward and took it from him, but I didn't like anything about this. I looked at him apprehensively, but he didn't change the stern look on his face.

"You have absolutely no control over it, do you?" I asked him. I realized that if he was handing these back to me, he was legitimately afraid I would have to use them.

He ignored my statement. "If it happens again, do what you need to." He commanded me.

I didn't even know if I would be able to kill him if the time came and I had to. "Max-" I began.

"No." He cut me off. "You do it, and you don't think about it."

"But what if I can't?" I finally balked.

"You can. And you will."

That might be easy for him to say, but I didn't want to kill him. I didn't want to kill him at all. I was slowly feeling a deep bond with Max, despite his original attack on me. I had lost my virginity to him, I lived with him. I cared for him. Very much, I was beginning to realize. Killing him was the last thing I wanted. I shook my head, and dropped my eyes. My vision swam with unshed tears, and I heard the sound of Max's heavy boots as he closed the gap between us. He pulled me into his chest, and I listened to his heartbeat.

"I don't want to." I told him. "I don't want to kill you, I don't want you to leave. I just want it to stay like this."

He didn't answer me, he just rested his chin on the top of my head and gently tugged his fingers through my hair.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a review!


	8. Chapter 8: Changing Tides

A/N: Thank you to everyone for reading. I really appreciate it.

A shoutout for my reviewers,

'BlueFox0088','Lady Deathstroke','LittleGreenEyedGirl' and'reddevil47'. Thanks so much!

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Chapter Eight: Changing Tides

The following days passed by without any significant events. Max and I stayed with each other every night, and he never attacked me. I knew the potential was there though. He still had he nightmares. And when he did, I let him sleep through them. I held my knife tightly in my shaking fingers, and waited. But nothing. He didn't wake, didn't attack me. He just slept through them. I didn't mention anything about them the next morning, and he didn't either. I don't think that he knew it happened almost every night. He didn't seem to have any recollection of them the next day. So I stayed quiet about it. I didn't want him to leave.

Something was different between us now. We were close. Very close. We stayed together every night since he had decided to stay. But yesterday afternoon he had been summoned out of the city.

Just before he left, we'd talked for a moment.

"I want you to stay in the master from now on." He told me. "Always. Even when I'm not here."

I nodded in understanding, before I pulled him toward me and kissed him.

"Come back to me." I whispered to him as I pulled away.

"I will." He promised. He turned, and walked out of the door.

That was yesterday afternoon. I was alone at my house now, and since Max and I had become so close the large house felt rather lonely. I was reading quietly to myself when I heard a quick and urgent rapping at the door. I opened the door, and I was surprised to see Pearl standing there.

"Pearl?" I asked.

"Come quickly! Ruby has just given birth to Marcus' child!" She urged me. Immediately, my heart leaped with excitement.

I followed Pearl through the palace, until we reached the place I knew her and Marcus lived. When we walked inside, the only people in the living room were Caleb and his nanny. My little brother immediately ran up to me excitedly when I entered the room.

"I'm an Uncle!" He told me happily.

"So you are." I told him, a smile on my face. Little Caleb had brown hair, and bright blue eyes. Aside from the eyes, he was the spitting image of my father. Pearl tugged on my hand, and I followed her into Ruby's room.

My mother was by Ruby's bedside, along with Emerald. Alexandrite was sitting in a chair, just a few feet away from the bed. The two twins, Emerald and Ruby had wavy, brown hair, and deep brown eyes. Alexandrite had brown hair as well, but with bright blue eyes. I didn't know where Opal was. I looked at Ruby, who was in the bed, and walked to her side.

Ruby looked exhausted, but in her eyes I could see her joy. In her arms was a tiny bundle. The child slept peacefully in her arms, and Ruby looked up at me with eyes glimmering with joyful tears.

"A boy." She whispered to me.

"His health?" I asked urgently.

"He's perfect." My mother answered. I locked eyes with her, and she smiled at me. "No tumors. No deformities. Fully developed."

A perfect son. The first of the Gems to get pregnant, and she had given birth to a perfect son.

My mother looked around the room at all of her daughters, and her eyes grew frustrated when she realized Opal was not here yet. "Oh, where is Opal?" My mother asked, frustrated.

"She's always gone nowadays." Pearl whispered next to me. "She's hardly ever home."

"Where does she go?" I asked.

Pearl shrugged, but no sooner had she shrugged than Opal appeared.

"I'm here." Opal walked into the room quickly, adjusting her hair as she did. I wondered why it had taken her so long to arrive.

"Close the door behind you." She ordered.

Opal did as she commanded, and all of the daughters were shut into one room together.

My mother turned her attention to Ruby again. "Ruby, my precious girl." My mother whispered to her daughter. She petted her head affectionately, and Ruby let out a happy, tearful laugh. "You have sealed your sister's futures with this child." My mother told her.

I couldn't help but to feed off of the excitement in the air as well. My sister had given birth to a perfect child, only a year and a half after being bound to Marcus. The whole city would know about this. If Ruby could give birth to a perfect child, any of the Gemstones could. In this birth, the speculation of our fertility was no longer speculation. We could bear healthy children.

"And, Emerald is pregnant as well." My mother continued, looking next to her at the other twin.

I looked at my other sisters and immediately the room was filled with joyful tears. Pearl immediately hugged me tight, and I hugged her back. This was the moment we had been waiting for all our lives. I could only begin to imagine that my mother's joy must be far surpassing my own. A lot had been riding on whether or not the Gemstones would actually be able to deliver healthy children. And here, in front of us, was the picture of a healthy child.

"Father?" I asked my mother.

"He's beyond ecstatic." My mother replied. "A strong child. This has always been our dream." She wiped a few tears away from her face before she continued. She looked around at all of the wed daughters before she began to speak. "All of you girls are the future of this city. A strong generation is what we need. A generation of leaders that is a mix between intelligent women, and some of the strongest men alive in this world today."

"Does Marcus know yet?" I asked Ruby.

She shook her head no. "He left yesterday afternoon."

"Your father is calling them back now." My mother immediately stated.

"What will you call him?" Alexandrite asked.

"Jaden." Ruby immediately answered. "We decided if it was a boy, he would be Jaden."

"It's a good name." I replied.

We stayed with her a while longer, but then the nurses came in and told us to leave her to rest, and we did.

I walked out of the room, and into the living room. Before I left, my mother called out to me and Pearl.

"Sapphire, Pearl." She chimed quietly. We both stopped as she called our names, and the rest of our sisters exited the room.

She reached out her hand to Caleb, who immediately took it.

"Would you girls mind joining us for a walk in the Nightgardens?" My mother asked. "It has been far too long since Caleb and I have enjoyed your company."

Pearl and I nodded, and soon we were off with our mother, Caleb, and his nanny.

We walked in silence to the Nightgardens. Once we reached the gardens, Caleb immediately ran off to go play in the open moss section of the garden. His nanny trailed closely behind him, and my mother led us to a table and chairs that was placed next to a small, clear pool.

Once my mother was sure that would not be overheard, she turned her attention to the two of us.

"Men have their meetings, and women stroll leisurely through the gardens." She commented with a small roll of her eyes.

I smiled as soon as I heard the words out of her mouth. It was going to be one of _those_ talks.

Pearl looked between us confusedly, and I realized she had probably not done this yet. She was about to start learning very quickly.

"My two golden girls." My mother began. We were the only blonde daughters, looking more similar to my mother than to my father. "I have such high hopes for both of you. Ruby's son has opened so many more doors for you. Pearl, listen and learn. One day you will be in your big sister's position."

Pearl's eyes lit up at my mother's words, and she nodded her head urgently.

"News of this will spread." My mother continued. "Your notoriety and reputation will grow, as will your influence." She shifted her eyes over to me and changed the subject. "That was a bold move you pulled in the marketplace."

"You heard about that?" I asked her.

"Everyone's heard about it." She answered.

"Are you angry?" I asked her.

She paused, smiled, and shook her head. "No, dear girl. You made your presence known in the city, people talk about you now. If you ride this right, you could be a champion of the people. Loved by the masses. And you put Max and yours relationship on display. A power couple. But besides that, it was shown that the less fortunate people of this city will be looked after by those in power."

"Max told me I shouldn't have done it." I answered.

"He's right. It was foolish. You and Max were both put into harm's way unnecessarily. But you did it, and it worked out. You've made a ripple in the pond. Now, make a wave. With Max's military know-how and a positive relationship on your part with the people, we could have a very happy city in our hands. And happy people are much easier to rule than unhappy ones. We don't want a rebellion here. And, should this beautiful city of ours ever get taken, the people will still be on our side."

"How do I win the people over?" I asked.

"It's long past time since we established a positive relationship with the people living beneath the palace. Make yourself known to them. Walk along the streets, talk to them. I will go with you, too. Your other sisters as well. But you started this. It should be you who leads it. Visit the sick men in the hospitals, go to the orphanage. If we're going to make a try at civilization again we need to give the people rulers that inspire them."

I nodded, and she continued, changing the subject sharply.

"How have you and Max been?" She asked.

"I forgave him, but I think his guilt was eating at him. He wanted to leave the other night."

"And?" My mother pressed.

"He's still here, isn't he?"

My mother smiled. "Good. You're learning. You and Pearl were always my favorites out of all my daughters. A mother shouldn't play favorites, but I have the highest hopes for you two girls in particular. I am glad that you were the one to be matched with Max, Sapphire. We have been waiting for a man like him to walk into our city for a long time now. And a man like him needs a unique kind of woman. Something beyond a pretty face and a sweet smile. Did you find out who Jessie is?"

"Jessie?" Pearl finally quipped in. She was looking thoroughly confused now.

"It's a long story, dear." My mother commented back. "Max is a little… unhinged."

"Unhinged?" Pearl asked urgently, looking between us.

"His wife." I cut in through the side comments. "She's dead."

"That explains a lot." My mother responded.

I nodded. "She had a child by him as well, who is also dead. I do not know how they died, but I think it was violent."

"How do you know?" She asked me.

"Something in his eyes, when he talked about it." I answered.

"This is horrible." Pearl cut in.

My mother broke her gaze from me, and looked towards Pearl. "This world is a horrible place, Pearl." She reached forward, and took her hands. "You will be twelve in a couple weeks. You are now old enough to understand how things really are, and how the people are as a result. You have slowly become more exposed, but we will hold nothing back from you any longer." Pearl nodded quickly, and my mother patted her hands before she released them. Her gaze returned to me, and I continued talking.

"He found the knife, too. The one I had on me. He gave it back to me."

My mother paused, contemplating what I had said, before she finally spoke. "I think our Deathlord has grown to care for you very deeply. Make no mistake. If he stayed here, he stayed because of you. I can guarantee you when he rides out of those gates, he doesn't ride for this city. He rides for you. He knows this is where you'll be safest, always. If you fall pregnant by him, he will stay by your side, he will protect your family, and he will protect this city."

As she said the words, something in my heart knew it was true. I had felt it when he had been with me, when he kissed me. I didn't know if I wanted to say the word love. But I knew that he would not leave me anytime soon, for any reason.

I hesitated before I spoke, but when I did I felt confident. "I know." I said softly. I remembered the first night I had spent with him, after we had been bound to one another. We couldn't have been farther apart. And now? Now I missed him when he was gone. I missed him. I missed the space he took up next to me when we slept together, and the way his hard steely eyes softened when he looked at me. I missed our quiet conversations late at night, or early in the morning. I thought of those, and then I thought of the rain. I was engrossed in my thoughts when my mother spoke again.

"He makes you happy, doesn't he?" She asked. Her eyes were glued to my face, and I realized she must've been watching my expression as I thought about him.

I nodded my head. "Yes. He does."

My mother smiled softly at me. "This is all I have ever wanted for you, sweet girl. Happiness, and safety."

Yes, Max made me happy. And the more I was around him the more I began to care for him. I tried to think of the words to describe how I felt about my husband, and my first word was love. I didn't know if I was in love with Max yet, but I was certainly growing to love him. He was one of the most broken and beautiful individuals I had ever met.

My younger sister was staring at my face. "You love him." She declared.

I looked over at her sharply, embarrassed by her calling me out, and my mother intervened.

"It is not a shame to love your husband, Sapphire." She stated. "Just because you did not choose him does not mean you cannot love him. Look at what he does for you, every day. Whether you fall in love with him or not, you can love him for the man he is."

"Do you love our father?" I asked her.

She paused before she spoke. "Yes. Yes, I love your father. I did not always. I grew to love him, as time passed. I saw what he did for me, the things he did to show me he cared. What he has done for our family. And over time I began to love him. "

"I think I'm going to like these talks." Pearl cut in. I looked over at her and laughed just slightly. She would be a young woman soon. I wasn't ready to see her grow up, but I knew she would eventually. And when she did, I would help her as much as I could.

* * *

I leaned against the hood of the war car and overlooked the canyon that led to the city gates. Throngs of people waited outside the gates. They were readying their fires now. It was nearly night time. The sun was beginning to slowly set in the distance. There had been some fighting just outside the gates, where people camped out waiting for the chance to come inside. We were here as a show of force. We didn't need any troublemakers.

To my right, Marcus was leaning on the hood of the car as well, looking rather bored. This wasn't the most exciting venture we had been on.

I heard the sound of a motorcyclist approaching, and looked over to see a messenger approaching us. He stopped directly in front of us, and spoke.

"Deathlord Marcus. I bring news. Your wife, Ruby, has given birth to a son."

We both stared at the messenger in surprise.

"His health?" Marcus asked apprehensively. In this moment, the normally terrifying man looked like a child. It was a hard question to ask. Did he really want to know?

"He is in perfect health, General. The King commands that this battalion draw back to the city, for the celebration of the child's birth."

Marcus was still shocked into silence, so I answered. "Of course, we'll return immediately."

The messenger nodded, and I gave the signal to the troops across the canyon that we were returning back to the city. I looked over at Marcus, and he was staring at the ground with a pleased, albeit slightly bemused, expression.

"Congratulations." I told him. A perfect son. That wasn't something that happened every day. I extended my hand to him, and he shook it quickly. I watched as his face registered that he was now a father, and I smiled just slightly. I remembered how I had felt when Sprog had first been born.

This was some interesting news. I thought back to the first time I had made love to Sapphire, and all of the times after that. As I did I felt a nervous flare in my stomach. If her sister could get pregnant, so could Sapphire. It'd be a damn miracle if the girl wasn't pregnant already. I hadn't been cautious in my lovemaking.

We loaded up, and rode back into the city. When we arrived, I immediately knew where I was headed. I didn't wander for hours before I headed home anymore.

I was eager to get back to her. To Sapphire. She was all I had thought about while I was out of the city. I had slept in the back of the war car when we were out, and I much preferred sleeping in the company of my wife.

I had accepted what she was now. There was no point in trying to fight it. If I was going to stay, then I was going to stay. And if I was gonna live with this beautiful woman, then I was going to enjoy my time with her.

It was night when we got back to the city, and when I came home Sapphire was fast asleep. She laid on the couch, clothed in only a nightgown. A lamp was lit in front of her and a book fallen on the floor. I took off my desert gear by the door. It irritated her when I tracked sand through the house. She hadn't told me so, but I could see it in her face every time I trekked across the house in boots covered in sand. She was breathing deeply and quietly. I watched her for a moment before I approached her.

I knelt in front of her, and gently placed my hand on her hip. Her eyes fluttered open, and as soon as they found mine she broke into a smile.

"You're back." She breathed.

I nodded, and answered her. "Let's get to bed." I slid my hands under her, and she instantly clung to my neck. I carried her to our room, and placed her in the enormous bed. She immediately slid under the sheets, but didn't go back to sleep. She waited, awake, while I cleaned and readied myself for bed. When I got in the bed next to her, she immediately moved toward me to lay on my chest. When she was comfortable, I began to run my fingertips all the way down her spine, and back again. She sighed contentedly as I started the motion.

"Ruby's had a son." She said softly.

"I heard." I replied.

"And Emerald is pregnant as well." She replied.

Well, shit. Everyone was having babies now. That did nothing to ease my anxiety about the situation.

She was quiet, and I could tell she was struggling to bring up the questions I knew she must have. I had made no effort at any sort of birth control. The first night we'd had sex was the first time I'd had sex in years. I don't think I could have pulled out of her if I wanted to. But, in the nights since then I'd had not shown any self-control whatsoever. I had taken her as I pleased, and as nature had originally intended it.

"Are you pregnant?" I asked her. There was no point in being coy with this situation.

"I don't know yet." She answered. "But I think it's safe to say I could become pregnant at any time, if I'm not already."

"I agree." I answered. I knew where she was going with this. After the first time we'd had sex the thought entered my mind. But, not until after I had decided to stay did I really think hard on the subject. I honestly didn't know if I was ready to be a father again. Losing Sprog had been a hard blow to me. But so had losing Jessie, and against all my better judgements I was letting Sapphire get close to me. If I wanted another family, this city was the best place to do it. They wouldn't have the same life as before the apocalypse, but it would be a good life. They would live in a palace, have servants. The thought of my children having servants was strange. I knew they would be loved. That wasn't the question. I was sure that Sapphire would love any children we had with all of her heart. And besides that, I would be playing a small part in the continuation of the human race. Before, I didn't know if my race was worth saving. But now? Now I realized that there were some things that had to be saved. The world needed people like Sapphire. Not just people like me.

But whether or not I was ready for another child was out of the question. I was not going to leave Sapphire or abandon my responsibility if she fell pregnant. I had failed to keep one wife and child safe, I would not let the same fate fall to Sapphire or any child of mine.

"How do you feel…? What- Um…" She was having a hard time talking.

"How would I feel about you becoming pregnant?" I finished for her. I knew it must be a concern on her mind. It was a concern on mine, too.

"… Yes." She finally answered. "You wouldn't… You're not going to leave again, are you?"

"No. I'm here to stay."

"And if I get pregnant-" She continued, her voice shaking anxiously. I cut her off.

"Sapphire look at me."

She lifted her eyes to mine, and in the dim light I could see the glimmer in her eyes.

I lifted one of my hands to her face, and I ran my thumb over her cheek, and then her lips.

"I am not going to leave you. Or any child of mine. I promise you that."

She looked at me for a moment, and I saw satisfaction in her eyes. She shifted onto her stomach, and leaned towards me. Her lips hovered above mine, and the last thing I saw before she kissed me were her crystal blue eyes. I closed my eyes as she kissed me. I felt her tongue taste my bottom lip. When she pulled away, she had a playfulness in her eyes that was yet unfamiliar to me. She sat up, and moved slowly to climb on top of me. She leaned down and kissed me again. I was surprised, but I was not going to argue with her. I pressed my tongue against her lips, and she opened her mouth for me. She teased my tongue with hers before she broke our kiss. She pulled away from me, and sat up tall above me as she straddled me. I ran my hands up her thighs to her hips, and lifted her dress as I did so. I loved the feel of her hips. I loved the feel of her skin, really. I didn't like anything about this nightgown, and I removed it from her body. As soon as I saw her, I let out a small breath. She was so beautiful. I felt her fingers untie my pants, and I didn't stop her. I had missed her very much while I was gone.

She slid out of her panties, and I let her continue to have control of the situation. She had come onto me before, but never like this. She reached between us to grab hold of my already hard dick, and she slid down on top of me.

Instantly, a wave of pleasure flooded through my body. Combined with the view, and I was in heaven.

"Oh, fuck." Were the only words that managed to come out of my mouth.

She grinded slowly against me, and my pleasure intensified.

"I missed you." She told me in a soft, sweet voice. God, I loved when she talked that way. She was learning me so quickly. Just a few months ago we were complete strangers. Now, she knew which voice to use to turn me on.

She reached for my hand, and pressed it against her breast. She grinded against me again, forming a steady rhythm now.

"Did you miss me?" She asked me in the same, sweet voice.

"Absolutely." Was my immediate response.

I saw her smile at my response, before she leaned back and rested her hands on my thighs. I watched her body move, watched the way her hair fell down her neck, watched her face and the way she bit her lip as she rode me.

Goddamn.

I think I'm falling in love.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! Don't forget to R&R!


	9. Chapter 9: Opal

A/N: Thanks for taking the time to read. With almost 4,600 views, this story is becoming pretty popular!

Some shoutouts to my reviewers,

'reddevil47', 'Annybelle (x2)', 'LittleGreenEyedGirl', 'jan-rayne', 'Grimjaww', 'Frances357', and my guest reviewer. Thanks so much! I appreciate every review. And for those of you that review every chapter, I look for your reviews with each one! It means so much that you guys take the time to write me your input.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 9: Opal, Part One

Max and I sat across from each other, eating breakfast quietly. I was having trouble keeping my eyes off of him this particular morning. My conversation with my mother and sister played over in my head, and so did the conversation I'd had with Max last night. And then I thought of the amazing sex we'd had afterwards. I had never felt more secure in my relationship with him. I just wished the threat of a random lapse of sanity didn't exist.

In a matter of days I would know. My period should be starting by the middle of the week. I didn't have any expectations, or at least I was trying not to. I knew that it usually took some time of trying before you became pregnant. But the thought was bouncing around in my head anxiously.

He had caught me looking at him for the third time when he finally called me out on it.

"Something look different this morning?" He asked me.

"No! No." I replied. "Nothing's different. I was just thinking."

"About?" He questioned.

I didn't know what to say. I don't think Max had ever asked me what I was thinking before.

"Last night." I replied.

He raised an eyebrow at me, and I saw him smirk just slightly. Now I had him thinking about it too.

"For a girl that's never had sex before me, you certainly seem to know what you're doing."

"Well, I was trained of course." I answered.

"Trained?" He asked me.

"Yes. I had my first lesson when I was fourteen. We learned about more things as we got older."

"Fourteen?" He asked me, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"I learned mostly about my own body. But when I got older, we learned more." I answered. I had never touched a man before Max. That was true. But I had been taught by another female how I could touch a man. I had seen prostitutes at work.

"They trained you to be good at having sex." He stated in disbelief.

I nodded.

"That didn't bother you?" He asked me.

I shook my head. "If I was going to be doing it for the rest of my life, I might as well be good at it. It's not like you've minded, anyway." I commented.

"But, I mean-" He cut himself off and sighed. "Are you faking it?" He finally asked. "You can tell me if you are."

"Faking it?" I asked him. It took me a second to realize he thought I was pretending to enjoy sex with him. "Oh. No. Not at all. I learned about my own pleasure as much as yours. But even if I hadn't, I think I would still enjoy it. You are a generous lover, Max."

I saw his face redden slightly at my words, and I couldn't help but to giggle a little.

He looked like he was about to say something, but was interrupted by a sudden and urgent rapping on the front door.

We both looked over in surprise, and I excused myself from the table. I opened the door, and was rather surprised when I saw an extremely upset Pearl standing at my door.

"Pearl?" I said in surprise. "Is everything ok?"

"No!" She immediately cried out. She walked into the house quickly, and froze when she saw Max sitting at the table. She turned around and looked at me urgently, but it was Max that answered.

"It's fine, Pearl." Max told her.

My heart glowed a little bit as he spoke, and I shut the door.

"What's wrong, Pearl?" I asked her.

She talked very quickly as soon as I gave her the opportunity. "It's Opal! She's done something very bad. Or, I think she has. Sapphire, she's ruined everything!"

"I doubt she's ruined everything-" I began.

"No! She has!" Pearl insisted.

"What happened?" I asked her.

"Well, last night Alexandrite told me I could have a sleepover with her at her house because Deathlord Mathias was on a run. So, I went to stay with her. But, when we got ready for bed I realized I forgot my pajamas, and none of Alexandrite's clothes fit me because she's too big now. So, I went back to my room that I share with Opal. But Opal didn't know that I would be coming back. And when I went in the room I saw-" She cut herself off and looked at Max apprehensively again.

I glanced over at Max, and he stood from the table. "I'll give you a minute." He told me. I mouthed the words 'thank you' to him, and he walked onto the balcony, and closed the door shut behind him.

"Sapphire." Pearl began again, nearly in tears. "I saw her with a boy. She was with one of the officers. One of the officers in Father's Army."

"What?!" I asked her urgently. "Are you certain of this?"

She nodded rapidly. "Yes, I'm certain."

"What were they doing, Pearl?" I pressed.

Pearl's eyes brimmed with tears, "I-I I'm not totally sure. He was in the bed with her."

 _No_. I instantly thought. _No, no, no, Opal. How could you be so foolish?_

"Did she lay with him, Pearl?" I asked my youngest sister.

She looked at me with big, round eyes. "I-I-"

"Pearl. Did she have sex with him?"

Pearl shook her head yes rapidly and immediately burst into tears. I pulled her towards me and wrapped my arms around her. "Does she know that you saw?"

"I don't know." Pearl sobbed. "I ran away as soon as I realized what was happening."

"Did you tell Alexandrite?" I asked her.

She shook her head no. "I didn't know what to do, I didn't know who to tell."

I felt within me the same conflicted feelings. I knew what I needed to do. I needed to tell my mother. But at the same time I didn't want to rat out a sister. But if Opal fell pregnant with a bastard child, I had no idea what my father would do.

"We'll go and talk to her. Ok?" I told Pearl. "We'll go and talk to her, and convince her to stop."

"What if she won't?" Pearl asked in a shaky voice. She was completely distressed.

"Then we'll go to mother." I told her. "It'll be ok. We'll go and talk to Opal now, ok? We'll go and talk to her."

Pearl nodded, and I spoke again.

"I just have to go talk to Max. And then we're gonna go." I broke away from Pearl, and walked out onto the balcony.

I opened and closed the door behind me, and Max turned around as I did.

"Everything ok?" He asked me.

"No." I answered honestly. "No, not at all, actually."

He gave me a questioning look, and I wondered if I should tell him what was going on. I decided to keep it vague. It was best that as few people knew about this as possible.

"Opal has made a terrible mistake. I fear for her." I told him.

"Can I help?" He asked.

"No. I don't know if anyone can help her at this point. But I have to try. I need to go see her." I told him. It was a request. I had never asked if I could leave his presence.

"Go to her." He told me immediately.

"Thank you." I told him. I turned to leave, and thought better of it. I turned back around, and walked up to Max. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him. He kissed me back, and for a moment I forgot about all the drama and enjoyed the feel of Max's lips against mine, and the safety I felt when he held me.

When we broke away, he kissed my forehead gently. I smiled softly at him, before I turned and walked back into my home.

Pearl and I left quickly, and arrived at her room less than ten minutes later.

Pearl opened the door to her home, and when we walked in Opal was sitting in front of the mirror, brushing her hair. She turned when we walked in, and smirked when she saw us.

"We need to talk to you." I told her immediately.

"Of course Pearl would go to you for help. I expected to see her back sooner, after she walked in on me last night. But I see she didn't have the bravery to come to me on her own."

"Opal." I began. "Stop this."

"I'm not going to stop anything." She smarted back. "Why should I?"

"Are you insane?" I snapped back at her. "Do you have any idea what you are doing?"

"I'm not insane. Liam and I love each other. We're going to run away together."

It was Pearl that spoke this time. "Opal!" She cried out.

"We're going to run away together, and there's nothing you can do about it." Opal continued. "We'll be gone by tomorrow."

"Do you realize what you have done?" I asked her, looking at her incredulously. "You are promised to someone else! You gave your body to a man that has not earned the right to be with you! You have completely undermined Father's authority as the King. If he finds out about this-"

"He's not going to find out. I'll be gone in a couple of hours." She smarted back.

"You haven't the slightest clue what is out there, Opal." I continued, trying to reason with her. "It's not like in here. No one cares if you're a princess out there. They will hurt you just the same."

"Liam will protect me." She continued. "He's one of Father's officers."

"An officer. One officer. It takes hundreds of men to defend this city. And you think that one man is going to keep you safe out there? You have no idea what it's like out there. There are mutants, marauders-"

"Like you know any more than I do." Opal snapped.

"I do. I'm telling you. You have no idea." I implored her.

"Nothing that you can say is going to change my mind. I love Liam."

"You stupid, ungrateful, selfish little bitch!" I finally snapped. Opal had pissed me off too many times in the past. This was the last straw.

"I'm ungrateful?! Because I don't want to be handed off to a man I barely know?! I want to be with someone who loves me. Who is going to take care of me!"

"Are you dim?! You're promised to a Deathlord! A General! A man who will have to slaughter hundreds of men before he even has a chance with you. A man who would give his life to defend you, your family, and this city. And you've given yourself up to a man who hasn't even proven himself worthy. Did it occur to you that he might not care about you at all? That he's lying to manipulate his way between your legs-"

"Shut up!" She screamed at me. She slid her hand across the dresser as she screamed, and scattered everything. Next to me, Pearl nearly leaped out of her skin. I didn't move. Opal didn't scare me. She could be dramatic all she wanted. I heard the sound of perfume bottles crashing to the ground, and she stood up sharply. "You don't know anything about him! He loves me!"

"He loves you so much that he's convinced you to betray this city for him! To run away from all of your responsibilities, your political obligations-"

"Political obligations? You mean being used as a breeding tool?" She scoffed.

"Have you learned nothing?" I replied, frustrated. "There is something bigger happening in this city than just you and I. _We're_ a part of something bigger."

"I never asked to be a part of it." She snapped.

"None of us did! But we are. We have a chance here, a real chance to save what's left of humanity. And you're squandering your part in that for a fling."

"I don't care what you say. I love Liam, we're going away together and that's the end of it." She finished.

"So it is." I remarked. "Come, Pearl."

Pearl and I left the room together, and I slammed the door behind me as we left. We walked straight in the direction of our mother's room. I tried to take deep breaths to calm myself on the walk, but I was fuming. I knocked on her door, and a servant answered.

She let us in the house, and I saw that my mother was on the floor with my brother. They were playing a game together, with several small toys. My mother raised her eyes when we entered and looked at us.

She must've seen the looks on our faces, because she instantly spoke. "What's wrong?"

"It's Opal." I told her.

My mother sent Caleb to his room, and Pearl and I sat down on the couch in the living room.

"What has she done?" My mother asked with a sigh. Opal had always been a handful.

"Mother…" I began. "Opal has- Opal-" I let out a frustrated sigh. I wish my sister had not put me in this position.

As the eldest of the unwed daughters, Opal was already promised to a future Deathlord. She was supposed to be a part of securing the future of this city. Instead, she was going to throw all of that away for an officer she barely knew.

"Opal has taken one of father's officer's as her lover." I finally spit out.

My mother stared at me incredulously. "What?" She asked.

"She has taken an officer as her lover." I repeated.

"Her lover?" My mother asked incredulously.

"Yes." Pearl chimed in. "I saw them, last night."

"What did you see?" She asked.

"They were together." I told her. "They've been sleeping together. I'm not sure for how long. She plans to run away with him some time in the next couple hours."

"Are you certain of this?" My mother asked me, her voice urgent.

"She admitted it to us minutes ago." Pearl finished.

I could not read my mother's face exactly, but I knew she was furious. She sat very still as she thought.

"Foolish girl." She finally hissed. "Foolish, selfish girl." She stood and began to pace angrily.

"What will you do?" I asked her.

"What choices do I have? If Opal leaves the city- She is not prepared for what is out there. But besides that, she is the highest prize now. And she has been defiled. By one of your father's own men. I will have to tell your father. He's been betrayed."

I felt my heart sink into my stomach. "What will he do?" I asked apprehensively.

"I do not know." My mother answered honestly. "But what am I supposed to do? Opal is only sixteen. She cannot run away with some man she hardly knows."

"You were only fifteen when you and father had your first child." Pearl chimed in.

"I was saving my life. Opal will destroy hers. She's a selfish, lazy girl. Always has been. She doesn't have what it takes to survive out there. And besides that, if we let her leave with this man it will completely undermine the monarchy. She could be kidnapped and used as ransom. She could be murdered, raped, sold as a slave." She sighed heavily. "Go to your rooms, girls. I will speak to your father."

With that, Pearl and I departed to my room. We decided it was better if Pearl wasn't with Opal. When we returned to the room, Max was waiting.

"Everything alright?" He asked apprehensively.

"I do not know." I replied honestly.

We weren't home for very long when a servant appeared at the door and summoned myself, Max, and Pearl into the throne room.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Please leave a review! What do you think is going to happen next?


	10. Chapter 10: Outside

A/N: Hey all! Thanks for reading. I got a huge response on the last chapter, and actually some of your reviews convinced me to change the plot. So, this chapter took a little longer to get up because I completely rewrote it!

A shoutout to my reviewers,

'freckles123', 'reddevil47', 'Annybelle', 'The Bone Lord', 'Alya Kihaku', 'Grimjaww', 'LittleGreeneyedGirl', 'Abhorition', and my guest reviewer. Thanks so much to all of you.

Enjoy!

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Chapter Ten: Outside

I walked toward the throne room, directly alongside Max, with Pearl trailing closely behind us. I had seen Max glance over at me several times, clearly expecting me to tell him what was going on. I didn't know what to say, so I opted not to speak at all.

When we walked into the throne room, my mother was sitting in her throne, wringing her hands. Her eyes looked red and puffy. My father was pacing back and forth in front of the large window in the room. They were the only people in the room. As soon as we entered, my father's eyes jumped over to us.

"Leave us." The King growled at the men who had escorted us in. The soldiers left, and myself, Max, and Pearl were left alone with the King and Queen.

"She's gone." My mother said tearfully. "I went to her as soon as you left. But she'd already gone."

"Officer Liam Hellems checked out his war car earlier today." My father stated. He turned, and walked forward with a piece of paper in his hand. He came to stand in front of Max, and handed the paper to Max.

"Officer Hellems serves underneath of you?" My father asked Max.

Max nodded once. Of course, my husband would be in charge of the boy that runs off with my sister.

"Open it." The King commanded. "Officer Hellems handed it to the head mechanic when he checked out his vehicle. It's an order from you, authorizing him leave with a vehicle and 100 gallons of fuel."

Max obliged, and opened the envelope. His eyes skimmed the words quickly, before he looked back up at the King.

"I didn't write this." Max immediately stated.

"I know. It's a forgery." The King stated. "And the man who accepted it is now sitting in a cell." The King walked back to his throne, and lowered himself into it heavily. He looked over at Pearl, and acknowledged her now.

"Has Opal been seeing this man?" He asked her.

Pearl nodded once.

My Father's eyes turned to me. "What do you know about this?"

"I saw her just before she left. Pearl and I did. She told us that she was in love with a man named Liam and that they were going to run away together." I told him.

My mother let out another small, choked sob. "Opal is out there. Out in that wasteland. She'll be dead in a matter of days."

"Maybe he will protect her." Pearl offered quietly.

Max answered her. "I know the boy. He's barely twenty, and recently promoted. A decent soldier, he could probably keep just himself safe. Maybe another person. But Opal isn't just another person. She's different. One group of thugs gets a decent look at her and that'll be the end of it."

I felt fear settle into my heart, and my father spoke again.

"Go and get her." My father stated, looking directly at Max. "And keep it quiet."

"The boy?" Max asked.

The King was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "He doesn't come back."

Max nodded, and the King spoke again.

"One more thing. Sapphire goes with you." He finished.

"What?" Max and I said at the same time. Me go with Max? Outside? The idea seemed ridiculous to me. On one hand I had no desire to go into the death-filled wasteland that lay outside the city. On the other hand, a part of me was curious to see it, and curious to see Max at work.

"Opal needs to come home. She doesn't know you Max, she won't come with you." My mother stated.

"Why does that matter?" Max instantly replied. "If you want her back, I'll get her back."

"She needs to come back not in chains." The King instantly stated. "She is my daughter. The last thing this monarchy needs is one of their Princesses being dragged home in chains. This is something we like to call a 'scandal' and unfortunately in the world of politics it usually doesn't end well if everyone finds out about it. Sapphire will go with you and convince her to come home."

"You don't understand." Max stated. "I'm not taking Sapphire with me, no matter what you tell me."

I felt a slight bit of hurt flare up in me at his words. "Why?" I said sharply.

I saw Max's jaw work as he tried to find the right words. "It's not safe." He finally managed to spit out. He looked at my parents. "You already have on daughter out there that could be dead. You really want to put another one out there too?"

"I don't know what this is about, Max." My father growled out. "You are the best Deathlord we have. You and I both know this isn't a matter of your ability to keep her safe. Whatever personal feelings you have about this, get over them. Go get my daughter."

I saw Max exhale, frustrated at the Kings words. But he nodded all the same.

Personal feelings? I wondered what it could be that was causing Max to have such strong feelings against me going. So much so that he'd blatantly told the King he wouldn't take me. We were dismissed from the throne room, and Max and I headed to our quarters to prepare.

We didn't say anything on the walk back, and I felt a tense silence between us. I wanted to speak to him, but Max had a way of putting up walls when he decided he was done communicating. And right now, it felt like a twenty-foot tall solid cement wall had gone up between us.

We got to the room, and it took me a while to find clothes that were desert-worthy. I selected a pair of pants that were sand-colored, as well as a shirt to match. Over it I wore a scarf-like cloth that I wrapped around my body. It went down to my knees, and tied around the waist. It had a hood built into it, so it was easy to hide my unusual hair. There was also a piece of cloth that I could put up to protect my mouth and nose from the sand. For shoes, I chose desert boots.

When I walked out of my room Max was waiting, fully ready. I imagined it had taken me much longer to get ready than him.

"We need to get moving." He told me. "Before it gets dark."

I nodded and put my hood up before I followed after him quickly. We reached the exit of the palace, and I thought I was going to have to hurry after him through the city, too. But, before the doors opened he turned his head to meet my eyes before he reached a hand towards me. I took it quickly, and for a moment it felt like the wall between us had lessened just a little.

But then the doors to the palace opened, and his eyes focused forward again and the wall between us was instantly back.

We walked quickly through the city, all the way to the Garage. Once we were in the Garage, I got to see for the first time just how much influence Max had.

People stopped working when he walked past them. The place grew silent, and the men stopped what they were doing to watch him pass. I wasn't sure if it was out of respect, or out of fear. Perhaps a bit of both.

He spoke a few words with a man before he ordered me into one of the vehicles. The war car roared to life as Max turned the key in the ignition, and I felt the whole car shaking around me.

I'd never been in a car before.

My hands immediately jumped to hold onto the door, and I saw Max smirking out of the corner of my eye.

"Ever been in one of these before?" He asked me as he flipped several switches on the dashboard.

I shook my head no quickly. I didn't dare try to talk. I was terrified.

"I was going to tell you to hold on. But you've got that handled." He remarked.

"That's not funny." I finally managed to spit out.

"It is a little." He answered. The door to exit the garage opened before us, and Max drove the vehicle out into the desert.

The sun hit my eyes hard. I squinted and eventually covered them from the blinding light. My eyes were not used to this.

I heard the sound of Max moving around in the car, before he nudged me with his arm.

"Here." He told me.

I peeked an eye open to grab hold of what he was giving me.

Sunglasses.

I slipped them onto my face, and saw that he had also put down several sun visors in the car for me. Now that I was able to see I could look out the windows. I had only been outside a handful of times in my life when I was much younger, and not for very long.

We were zooming through a mountain pass, and the rocks zipped by as Max wound through the maze of stone with incredible dexterity. We rode like this for a while longer, but soon the mountains ended and the world suddenly opened up. As far as I could see was rolling sand and endless blue sky. I looked out at it in awe, amazed the world could be so vast. I loosened my hold on the door, and pressed my fingertips against the glass as I looked out at the massiveness of the world. The sun was a bright ball of light in the sky. So hot, so powerful. No wonder Max was so tan.

"It's beautiful." I finally managed to whisper out. "There's so much of it." I turned to look at Max, and he met my gaze but didn't say a word. He held my form in his eyes for a few moments before he turned his gaze back toward the desert.

We tore across the planes in the car, Max's hands so sure as he guided the vehicle. But he didn't speak to me, he just kept his eyes focused ahead. We drove for several hours as the sun slowly began to go down in the distance. We stopped just as the sun was cut in half by the earth.

We stopped in the middle of the desert. "We'll stay here for the night." Max told me.

"We're stopping?" I asked him. "Out here, in the middle of nowhere?"

He nodded. "This whole place is the middle of nowhere. You can't drive, and I need to sleep. We'll hear if anyone tries to come up on us."

"Ok." I consented. He turned the car off, and I opened the door and stepped down out of the vehicle. My feet crunched as they met the packed sand.

I focused my eyes to the west, on the sun. As it set it lit the sky up in a beautiful kaleidoscope of purple and pink and red. My breath caught in my throat as I watched it set, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Max walk up next to me.

I didn't look away from the violet-streaked sky until the sun had slipped below the cusp of the earth.

"Why didn't you want me here?" I finally stated to him as I looked away from the skyline. It had been eating at me ever since his adamant disagreement on my presence with him in the throne room.

He didn't say anything, just looked at me with his steel eyes.

I scoffed.

"What a surprise." I couldn't help but mutter. His habit of going silent just when I needed him to speak was beginning to wear on me. "You have nothing to say."

He cocked his head to the side before he spoke. "It's not safe out here."

"You can keep me safe out here." I responded. "Or at least my father seemed to think so."

Silence, again.

I exhaled heavily and walked several paces away from the car, and from him. I didn't want to have a row, but I was frustrated. It was hard to be with someone who was like him. He was so distant the majority of the time we were together. I didn't want to be angry about it. He couldn't help it after everything he had been through. But it was hard to not get frustrated. I cared about him, I wanted to talk to him. He had seemed so much more open lately, which made it harder when he shut down again. I was just going to have to learn that he didn't always want to talk to me.

I tried not to think about it, and instead focused on the ever-changing skyline. I watched as the sky turned from light blue to navy, and as the stars began to peak shyly from their hiding places. I removed my hood from my head, and let my hair fall down my back. There was silence between us for a long while, and I could hear his feet shifting behind me. I wondered if he was going to speak first, or if he was going to make me ask again. He finally spoke.

"I don't want you here." He told me bluntly.

I felt annoyance flare up in me. He didn't want me here? I turned around quickly, my hands on my hips. "You only like me when I'm sitting at home waiting for you?" I countered.

He crossed his arms and leaned against the car. He sighed, clearly frustrated, before he spoke. "Sometimes I have to do things out here. Things I don't want you to see."

I looked at him as the world fell dark around us, and I began to understand why. We might run into trouble out here. And Max was the deadliest Deathlord we had. I'd heard he was ruthless. I tried not to let it bother me because when he was with me he was completely docile. But there was a part of him that was a brutal killer.

With me finally quiet, he began to speak again.

"I think you're finally not afraid of me. Or, at least you're not as afraid of me as you were." He continued. "Everyone is afraid of me, because of what happens out here. I don't want you to be afraid of me too."

I took several steps forward to close the gap between us. His eyes never left mine as I walked toward him, and I lifted my hands to his face. I gently trailed my fingertips across his cheek, over the rough stubble there. He sighed heavily as I did, and closed his eyes.

"Max." I said quietly.

He opened his eyes, and his steely gaze searched my sapphire one.

"I know you would never hurt me. I'm not afraid of you, and I never will be again." I told him. I believed my own words. I had watched him punish himself every day for what he had done. I believed that he would have never willingly hurt me.

He raised his hand to my neck, and gently pushed my hair away from my skin. His fingers traced along my neck and collarbone, and I wondered if he was imagining the bruises that had long since faded. He didn't say anything to me in response to my words. His fingers just traced softly over my neck. I wasn't afraid. I had no reason to be afraid of him when he was like this.

"Hey." I said to him softly. He tore his eyes away from my neck and brought them back to me. "You're not gonna hurt me." I told him.

He only offered me a small, half smile before he pulled me toward him, and his lips pressed against my forehead affectionately. I knew he didn't want to hurt me. But I also knew that he had no control over the tricks his mind played on him.

"What happens out here doesn't change anything, ok?" I told him. "What you have to do out here, and what you do with me are not linked. I know that."

"I just don't want you to change." He told me softly. "You're so beautiful, so innocent. You don't need to see what happens out here. I don't want you to know what happens out here."

"You can't protect me from it forever." I told him.

He shook his head. "I have to at least try."

I didn't let him talk anymore. I stood on my tiptoes and I kissed him. Our lips met, and shivers flew down my spine. I felt his fingers tangle in my hair, and felt his tongue brush against my lip softly. I opened my mouth for him, and as his tongue touched mine I felt an all too familiar stirring in my lower abdomen. Before our kissing could get more intense, he broke away from me and spoke.

"Look up." He told me.

I obliged, and as soon as I did I gasped.

The sky had gone completely black as we had kissed, but all of the stars had come out. Above me I could see streaks of stars spilled out across the sky, glittering in long rivers like every shimmering dream of beauty I had ever dared to imagine.

I stared above me and watched as shooting stars fell across the night sky. "It's incredible." I whispered. "It's so massive." I looked up above me still, overwhelmed by the sheer expanse of space. "Isn't it just the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" I asked him.

I dropped my eyes to look at him, but he wasn't looking at the sky.

He was looking at me.

Only me.

He was looking at me so intensely that I took a step back from him as I met his gaze.

"Yes." He finally stated, not moving his eyes from me.

I didn't think he was talking about the night sky.

"Why are you looking at me that way?" I asked him quietly. I had never seen him look at me that way before.

That wasn't true, actually. I had seen him look at me that way before. When he had called me Jessie.

He didn't answer me, but he didn't break my gaze either.

"Max?" I asked him.

"Because I love you." He finally answered me. "I love you very much, Sapphire."

My heart stopped. My eyes began to well up with tears at his words. Max loved me. Max had just told me he loved me.

"Max." I whispered his name. My voice was choked as I tried to speak.

"You don't have to say it back." He continued. "I don't expect you to, not after what I did to you. But I wanted to tell you. You had to know, especially since we're out here. In case something happened to you, or to me." He cut himself off sharply and hesitated before he spoke again. "I told Jessie how I really felt about her just before she was killed. I was always glad that I did."

I was speechless.

There was a time where I didn't think that Max and I would ever even have a real conversation, let alone be in love with each other. But I realized now that he did love me. Against everything that he had learned about the world, he loved me. But it wasn't just that. As I looked at him, leaning against the car and looking at me with his steel eyes, I felt my heart flutter. He was so handsome, standing there. So beautiful. I had always thought him handsome, but now that I knew him so well it was different. I was slowly beginning to peel back each complex layer, and the more I learned about him the more I felt that I had met a truly beautiful soul.

I knew how much it must be killing him that he felt this way. After everything he had been through. Being in love with me meant he had lost a battle with himself. He had decided against everything he knew to let himself love me. To trust me, to let me in.

He dropped his gaze from me to his hands after I gave no response. As soon as he did, I moved my fingers to his chin and forced his gaze back to mine. I looked into their steel depths, and I saw something foreign in them.

Fear. He was afraid I was about to hurt him. But there was also hope. I had never seen him anxious before. He was always so cool, so collected. He reminded me of the metal his eyes so closely represented. I had only seen his true emotions a handful of times. Although I was sure he'd seen me at nearly every end of the emotional spectrum by this point.

I broke my gaze with him, and kissed lightly along his neck. I worked my way up his jaw, and finally to his lips. When I kissed him, he immediately looped his fingers through my belt loops and pulled me toward him.

When I pulled away, his eyes were searching my face for an answer. I could see them flitting nervously over my features, and I smiled softly as I decided what I was going to say.

"I love you." I told him quietly. It was true. He was unstable, dangerous, angry, violent. But he was also so much more. So much of him had been lost for so long, and every day I saw parts of him come back to life. He was transforming before my very eyes, from a man who hated everything and everyone around him, to the most beautiful soul I'd ever met. He was so much more than his hatred. Buried deep within him, he was kind. He was caring. He was gentle. And I had brought that out in him. I was transforming him from the silent, broken warrior that I had first met into so much more. He was becoming human again.

I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he loved me. He didn't even have to say it. I knew. I think I had known for a while, now.

And I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I loved him too. Despite all of the odds against us we had fallen in love with each other.

"I love you, Max." I told him.

He looked at me with such surprise. I didn't know how he could be so surprised. I realized he would never forgive himself for what had happened at the beginning of our relationship, when he had hurt me. And he didn't expect me to forgive him, either.

"What?" He asked me, his voice hardly above a whisper.

"I love you." I repeated to him. "Is it so hard for you to believe that someone could love you?"

"It's hard to believe that you could love me." He answered.

He pulled me toward him, and I gasped as he pulled my body against his. He kissed me roughly, and I felt the fire stirring within me as I kissed him. My hands on his chest felt his racing heartbeat as it beat for me.

When we broke for air, he spoke.

"Say it again." He ordered me.

"I love you, Max." I whispered again.

I saw his eyes shimmer with a foreign emotion. Happiness. I had made Max happy. Despite myself, one tear slid from my eye down my cheek.

As soon as he saw the teardrop his tone of voice changed.

"Is something wrong?" He immediately asked. He reached his hand forward, and brushed the teardrop away from my face.

I shook my head, and gently ran my fingers through his hair. "No." I told him quietly. "I'm just happy. I never thought I would hear you say that."

I saw the smallest of smiles on his face, and he ran his fingers through my hair before he pulled me toward him to kiss me again. The longer we kissed, the more passionate we became. He removed the cloth covering my head, and then I felt his hands slide under my shirt. His fingers brushed along my stomach softly, and eventually ran up to my breast. I gasped quietly as his fingers found the sensitive skin around my nipple, and as I gasped he took the opportunity to bring his lips to my neck. He kissed down my neck to my collarbone, and I looped my hands around his neck as he did. As soon as I'd held onto him, his hands left my breast and found their way to my hips. He lifted me like I was nothing, and brought me to the hood of the car. It was still warm as he laid me back against it. I looked up, and I could see the stars glimmering behind him.

His fingers found their way to the hem of my shirt, and he lifted it over me, leaving me in only a bra. I shivered as he did. It was quickly becoming cold out here. He looked down at my body, and I heard him exhale heavily as he looked at me. His fingers traced over my bare form, up to my bra where he unclipped the garment before tossing it to the side carelessly. His fingers lingered over my breasts before they traced down to the button on my pants.

"Here?" I asked him urgently.

He smirked. "Who do you think is coming?" He asked me.

I glanced around at the open, empty desert. "Point taken." I told him.

His lips found their way to mine again, and I knocked his jacket off of him before I got his shirt off too. I felt him undoing my pants, and he removed them so quickly I was shocked when I felt him thrust inside of me impatiently. I cried out loudly, and he gripped my hips to hold me still as he pushed himself inside of me. When he was fully inside me, he allowed me a few seconds to adjust to him before he began to take me with a ferocious desire. There was no one around out here, and I cried out unabashedly as he made love to me. He took both of my hands in one of his, and held my hands above me as he continued to pound into me. When my eyes opened, I was looking at Max, and behind him at the rest of the universe.

Our eyes met, and he kissed me softly. When we broke our kiss, I whimpered quietly as he continued to push me towards the point of orgasm. His free hand roamed over my body, gripping my breast, my ass, my thigh, my hips. I heard him moan loudly as he intensified his pace. He suddenly pulled me up toward him, and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he did so.

One hand gripped my hair and pulled my head back. He kissed me again, his mouth rough against mine as he began to get lost in his lust for me.

"Goddamnit, woman." I heard him growl. "You have no idea what you do to me."

I didn't get to respond, my orgasm crashed over me in a sudden wave. I cried his name out as I came, and he gripped me against him as he came as well.

I panted, clinging to him desperately as my orgasm finished its last rolling shudders over my body. He kissed me gently, stopping my panting for a moment. He pulled away from me, and when our eyes met he was looking at me so intensely that I knew he must love me. I knew it deep within my heart. I didn't need him to tell me it, but I liked to hear him say it.

"I love you, Sapphire." He told me. "I love you. And no one is ever going to hurt you as long as I'm still breathing."

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Please leave a review.

I'm trying to find a happy median between the Max from Fury Road, and the Max from the other three movies, particularly his feelings towards his wife in the first one. Lemme know how I'm doing!


	11. Chapter 11: The Outpost

A/N: Thanks so much for reading!

Some shout outs:

'Annybelle', 'Abyss', 'Jeralee', 'freckles123', 'Sophia Kay', 'jan-rayne', 'LittleGreenEyedGirl', and 'Hawx94'. Thanks for your reviews!

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Chapter Eleven: The Outpost

I woke up just before sunrise. My body had been trained after many years when it was time to wake up. My eyes blinked the sleep out of them quickly, before I looked down at the quietly sleeping blonde on my chest.

She looked peaceful as she slept, and happy. I reached my fingers towards her hair, and ran my fingers through the strands.

I could not find the words to describe the anger I had felt when I had been commanded to take her with me. At the King's words, I had instantly imagined all of the horrible things that could happen to her out here. I imagined her being ridden down, just like my last wife. I heard her scream my name in terror, pictured her face as she ran for her life.

The sounds of her death echoed in my head now. The fear of losing her had added one more voice to the list of my tormentors. I heard them, as clear as I heard her slow breathing. I had to squeeze my eyes shut and focus on the feel of her skin to convince my mind to quiet itself. She wasn't dead, she was right here. And I wasn't going to let any of those things happen to her.

It had been a long time since I'd held Jessie in my arms. Very long. Her voice tortured me, but it was beginning to become more of a memory. I loved Jessie, I knew I had loved her. But it had been a very long time since I had felt her touch, heard her kindness. I touched Sapphire every day, as much as I could. I saw her everyday. She inspired me.

Hearing her voice screaming in terror was much more real to me than Jessie's was, now.

I felt my heart rate quicken as the thoughts crowded my head again. I took several deep breaths to calm myself. To let myself grow so close to her was pushing my mind. If I lost Sapphire-

I couldn't even bear to think through to the end of the sentence. At best, I would probably become a shell of a man, what I was before I'd met the wives. At worst I'd be dead.

The amount of and anxiety and fear I felt over her wellbeing almost made it unbearable to be near her.

On my last assignment, I'd had plenty of time to think. And I had been thinking a lot about the word love, and why I thought of it every time I looked at Sapphire. When I had come back home and found her on the couch, and then when she'd made love to me. I had known then that I was falling in love with her.

It wasn't until the moment I knew she was going outside that I realized I was completely in love with her. When the voices had hit me harder than they had in years, when I'd imagined her screaming. It had torn daggers right through me. I realized then how deeply I really felt about her.

I felt bad that I didn't speak to her after we left the throne room. She was clearly confused and rather hurt. My reaction had given her good reason to be. I tried to make her feel better as we were leaving, but I wasn't good at talking. I hadn't spoken a word in almost two years before I met the Wives. I was still learning how to be good with people.

I'm lucky she's patient. If she wasn't this would've never worked.

I knew for certain that I had hurt her feelings when we had finally stopped for the night. It bothered me that she was upset because of me. She was changing me. I could've given two shits about her feelings when I had first met her.

Now she was the most precious thing in my life.

Loving her was the most difficult thing I had ever decided to do to myself. The mind games I played with myself, the fear of losing her. It was like torturing myself every day.

It was worth it to hear the words from her mouth. I would put myself through that torture every day for her love, without blinking an eye.

I had no idea how or why she had come to love me. But I was glad as hell that she did.

The bed we were sleeping on was a large air mattress, just sized enough to fit comfortably into the back of the war car. Normally I didn't bother with such things and just slept in one of the seats. But I had a Princess with me.

She stirred in my arms and her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at me, smiled softly, and sat up. As she did, the sheets fell away around her shoulders and puddled about her hips and legs. Her silver hair flowed down her body, brushing ever so lightly against the pale skin of her breasts. She gathered the pillows, and moved them behind me. I laid back against them at her command, now propped up slightly.

Her blue eyes met mine, and I felt the fear I'd been feeling minutes ago ebb away from me. I felt soothed as she looked at me.

When I had seen her last night, standing there in the desert as night fell slowly, I had never been so taken by another person. I was certain now that she was starlight. I had seen her standing underneath the vastness of the universe. She surely belonged up there, with the stars. Not down here with me.

She leaned forward and pressed her lips against mine. I immediately pulled her toward me, my thoughts caught up in the image of her in the stars.

I felt her smiling into our kiss, and the next thing I knew she was pulling away from me. I couldn't help the twinge of disappointment in my chest. But the next thing I knew, she had climbed on top of me. I saw a familiar mischeiviousness in her eyes, and as she reached in between my legs I knew what she was up to.

I moaned as she slid down onto me, and grabbed her hips desperately. She leaned down to me and kissed me, and as she did she grinded against me slowly. When she pulled away from our kiss, she leaned over and whispered in my ear as she continued to pull her hips against mine.

"I love you, Max." She told me.

I didn't give her any warning. She should know better than to just say that to me and expect no reaction.

I pulled her off of me, flipped her onto all fours, and was back inside of her before she could protest. I hooked my hands to her hips, and thrusted inside of her again. I heard her cry out, and heard her whisper my name. I ran one hand down the length of her spine, marveling at the feel of her skin, before my hand found its way into her hair. I grabbed a fistful of it, my other hand still held tight to her hips. I pulled her against me mercilessly.

As I did, I heard her cry out my name. I released her hair, and my hand moved to her shoulder where I used that as leverage to bring myself deeper into her.

I heard her desperate cries as she told me she was about to cum, but I held back my own orgasm. She was going to feel what it meant to really make love to me.

I didn't relent on her, and soon she was screaming and I felt her tighten around me as she climaxed. When the last of the shudders had rolled through her body, I flipped her over and climbed on top of her.

"Max!" She whispered in surprise before I silenced her with a kiss. I felt her nails dig into my back as I continued to make love to her. I captured her hands away from mine, and held them above her head, pinned down. It took everything in my power to hold myself back and wait for her second orgasm, but when it finally came I didn't fight mine anymore. I finished inside of her, pulling my body against hers desperately and growling deeply as I did.

I rolled off of her, exhausted, and panted heavily. She laid next to me for a moment, before she crawled back over to lay on my chest. I could feel her tiny body shaking, and I smiled slightly, pleased with myself.

"Good morning." She finally whispered out.

"Good morning." I replied. "We need to get moving soon."

She exhaled heavily. "You don't honestly expect me to move after that, do you?"

I chuckled softly at her words. "Not just yet, love. We can stay like this for a little."

She tilted her head up to kiss my neck softly, before she nuzzled down into me again.

"I love you." I told her quietly. I stroked my fingertips along her back gently. I didn't want to leave where I was, but duty called. I just wanted to keep her safe in my arms forever.

* * *

We'd gotten out of bed shortly after, and the first thing I did was put a gun in her hand and teach her how to handle it. Nothing of a large caliber. I gave her a .22 to start her out. It wasn't a gun with stopping power, but people don't usually like getting shot. I wasn't giving her anything more powerful just yet. Once she'd had a handle on how to work the gun and had fired a few shots with me, I set out some empty cans for her to shoot at. I began to work on the radiator, trying to see why it had started getting hot before we'd stopped yesterday.

I kept an eye on her as I fixed the radiator. She was trying her luck at shooting the targets. She was a decent shot.

When I had repaired the radiator, I called Sapphire over and opened the car door for her. Once she was in the car, I climbed in myself and started it. I continued headed east, the same direction as yesterday.

"Where are we going?" Sapphire asked me.

"The Outpost." I replied. "It's the closest neutral town. They would've stopped there on their way out. Unless he's been hoarding rations, which I doubt, they would've needed to stop here for some. He'll probably have traded some of the gas for supplies, since he left unsupplied. And if he wants to cover the city symbol that's on the side of the car, he might've been able to here."

"Do you think they're still there?" She asked me.

I shrugged. "We'll find out when we get there."

We continued to travel into the early afternoon. I parked the car just outside the city, next to rows of other vehicles.

No one was around when we got out, and I climbed out before she could. I let her out of the car, and as soon as she had climbed out I spoke to her.

"Put your hood up." I commanded her immediately. She obliged quickly, and I spoke again. "And put your veil up. This place is lawless."

She lifted the veil into place, and it covered her nose and mouth. Her bright eyes and some of her fair skin was still visible. That made me anxious. But there was nothing more I could do.

"Good." I kissed her forehead affectionately. "Stay close, ok?"

I didn't have to tell her twice. She immediately clung onto my arm, and we began to walk.

We entered into the city through a set of steel gates. The city was surrounded by a steel wall as well, but was above ground. So different from the Stone City. This place reminded me of Bartertown.

It was packed as usual. People yelled about their wares, and a slave auction was occurring across the market. I began to walk quickly over the packed dirt, in the direction of the inn.

I noticed people's eyes on Sapphire. Even covering her she looked different. Her clothes too clean, her face too pale, her skin too smooth, her eyes too bright. They were looking at her. I hated it. But there was nothing more I could do.

We wouldn't be able to stay here very long at all.

We walked into the Inn, and even though it was only the afternoon the place was filled with drunken revelry.

Sapphire immediately clung closer to me, and while I appreciated the feel of her I hated that she was afraid.

"Well what do we have here?" I heard the drunken slur behind me after we had been inside for only a few minutes.

I stopped dead in my tracks, and turned to face the man. He was quite large, taller and wider than me. He was leering at Sapphire. I had expected this, but not so soon.

This would not do.

"You're not going to lay eyes on her again." I told him simply.

"And if I do?" The man sneered.

"You'll never see again." I answered without hesitation.

Sapphire immediately looked at me urgently, but I didn't break my gaze with the man.

He scoffed. At this point, the people around us had quieted and started to stare.

"I'll take my fucking chances." The man shot back.

He was a confident one.

He reached forward and grabbed ahold of Sapphire's arm. I heard her cry out in pain, and as soon as she did I saw red.

Time seemed to slow, and I closed the distance between the man and I quickly. He lunged at me like he was going to grab me, but I shifted out of his reach. He was taller than me. So the first thing I did was grab hold of his now extended arm and then proceed to kick his knee out.

He immediately screamed and released Sapphire. He fell down to one knee. By now everyone was looking.

I punched him clear across the face, and his eyes flickered as I did. He slumped to the side, but I pulled him up and grabbed his head.

"Turn around, love." I told Sapphire. She turned obediently.

I pushed my thumbs into his eyes.

He immediately let out a blood curdling scream. As soon as he did, I saw Sapphire flinch and she quickly covered her ears. Her reaction wasn't enough to stop me. Before I released him, I wiped both of my hands on his shirt to rid myself of the majority of his blood.

He immediately fell to the ground and sobbed. The whole inn was silent.

"Anyone else?" I asked the onlookers. As I spoke, I grabbed a pitcher of water and poured it over each of my hands, ridding myself of the last of his filth.

The only sound in the entire room was the water hitting the ground.

I nodded once, tossed the pitcher in front of the man on the ground, and wiped my hands on my pants. I then spoke to Sapphire.

"Come along." I told her.

She turned, and her eyes darted briefly to the man on the floor before she looked up quickly and deliberately set her eyes on me. She walked up next to me quickly, and we walked further into the inn.

The inn's noise level returned to normal, and everyone continued in their afternoon enjoyments. They just gave me, and now Sapphire, a wide girth.

I walked up to the innkeep, who I figured might have information on Sapphire's runaway sibling.

"Slate." I called the man's name as I walked up to his desk. He had been facing away, fiddling around in a drawer. He was a short, older, wispy looking man.

"Max." He immediately replied as he turned around. "I thought that was you. Did you come to cause some trouble at my inn?"

"I like to think I was making it safer." I countered.

Slate smirked slightly at my words. "What can I do for you?"

"I need to know if you've seen a man from the Stone City here. He would've gotten in last night with a pretty girl."

Slate hesitated, before he leaned closer to me. I leaned against the counter to listen.

"They got in late last night. I thought it was odd, they rode in on a Stone Warcar with no backup. They stayed here overnight. Ran into some trouble early this morning with a group of bikers and had to skip town."

"You know where they went?" I questioned further.

"I overheard something about the Citadel." He answered.

"Thanks." I replied. He raised an eyebrow at me, and I reached into my backpack and pulled out a handful of tokens. They were currency used in the Stone City, used to get rations for supplies like food, water, and fuel.

"Always a pleasure." Slate answered. He began to turn around, but stopped himself and leaned forward again.

"As a friend, Max," He began. Slate and I had known each other for a long time. "Those bikers left after them about three hours ago."

"How many?" I asked.

"Six." He replied.

"I appreciate it, Slate." I answered. I extended my hand to the man, and he shook it before I turned quickly and grabbed Sapphire by the arm.

This wasn't good at all.

"Who's after them, Max?" Sapphire whispered to me urgently.

"Not here." I growled back.

She nodded, and I led her out of the city quickly. As soon as we were both safely in the vehicle, she spoke again.

"Max, are they in danger?" She asked me.

"Yes." Was all I answered.

I reversed quickly , and headed in the direction of the Citadel. It was a solid two days ride from here.

"Are we going to get there in time?" She asked me.

"I'm going to try."

She cast her eyes anxiously out of the window, and I saw her began to fiddle anxiously with the hem of her shirt.

We drove in silence for a long time before Sapphire spoke.

"That man in the Inn…" She began.

My grip tightened on the wheel. I didn't want this conversation. Maybe taking the man's eyes out had been a little unnescessary.

But he'd wanted to rape Sapphire. He would have if he had won the fight. In my eyes he was as guilty as they come. My jealousy and protectiveness did nothing to help him.

I didn't say anything to her.

"You broke his kneecap. You just took his eyes." She stated.

"Yes." I replied.

"Don't you think that was a little-"

"Unnescessary? Excessive? No, I don't think so. He would've raped you if he'd taken me down. Probably in one of the room's in the very same inn. He might've kept you as a sex slave, or sold you to the highest bidder. Did you want that?"

She shook her head.

"No. Of course not. I made an example out of one man, and as a result I only had to fight one man. And you were kept safer for it."

Sapphire looked over at me apprehensively, and I slowed the car to a stop. I looked over at her, and leaned toward her. I removed her veil and then her hood before I kissed her gently. I pulled away, and ran my fingers through her hair.

"I need you to trust that I'm doing what I need to keep you alive and safe. Do you understand? Nothing else matters to me."

After several silent, anxious moments, she nodded her head. "Yes, I understand."

"Good." I stated. I pulled away from her, and put the car into gear again. I didn't know that she really understood. She seemed apprehensive, and as I watched her in the seat next to me she seemed to be retreating into herself.

Maybe breaking his knee cap and gouging his eyes out had been a bit excessive.

I sighed heavily and gripped the wheel tighter.

I wasn't used to having to hold back. I didn't want to have to. My methods had been working in my favor for a long time, and I didn't want to change them. But if my methods were making Sapphire afraid…

Goddmanit. I didn't sign up for this. I already had enough of a conscience. Now I was going to add hers too.

Her pain and fear were mine, now.

We drove in silence for a long time. I wanted to find the words to comfort her, but I couldn't think of them. Language and I dont't mix well.

"I just want to protect you." I finally managed to get out.

She looked over at me, surprised I had spoken.

"I thought about what he would do with you, and I saw red. " I finished.

She reached toward me, and I offered her my own hand. She lifted the back of my hand to her lips, and kissed it softly.

"It's ok." Was all she said as she pulled away from my hand. She lowered my hand but didn't release it.

I continued on, in the direction of the Citadel. I didn't even remember the last time I had held someone's hand while I drove.

I didn't know if we'd need to go into the Citadel. But I couldn't help but to wonder how my past was going to interact with my present. Furiosa and I... We had never been together. But she was the closet I had come to loving someone in a long time. I glanced over at Sapphire, and realized that I couldn't have found someone more different.

This should be interesting.

* * *

A/N: Thanks, please R&R


	12. Chapter 12: The Canyon

A/N: Thanks for reading my story, I really appreciate it.

Shoutouts to,

Annybelle, jan-rayne, Jeralee, and LittleGreenEyedGirl. Thanks for your reviews.

For the question posed by Jeralee,

Yes, I do plan on writing the Gyrocopter pilot into this story.

* * *

Chapter 12: The Canyon

I am woken when Max suddenly grabs my arm.

"Sapphire." He says to me tensely.

I blink the sleep out of my eyes and sit up quickly. I look around urgently. We're in some canyon. It's the middle of the night.

It's the second night we've been driving toward the citadel. Max has hardly slept at all in the past 48 hours. I can see the dark circles under his eyes as he looks at me. He must be exhausted, but ever since we found out my sister was in trouble he's been pushing himself to get us there in time. I know he's doing it for me. But I can tell he's worn down.

"What's happening?" I ask him urgently. Our car sits completely motionless in the canyon.

"Your sister and Liam. We've caught up to them."

"They're alive?" I ask, my voice full of shock. Hope flutters in my heart at his words.

He nods. "They're just ahead in the canyon. I scouted it out while you were asleep. They're awake now."

"We should go to them." I immediately say.

He nods in agreement, but hesitates a moment before he speaks again. "There's one more thing. The bikers, they're somewhere in the canyon. The tracks made their way in and vanished. If I had to guess, they're somewhere in here with us." The canyon was a maze of dried rivers and ledges a bike could easily climb up on.

"We have to tell them." I immediately insist. He starts the car, and drives further down the canyon. As we drive, I eventually see the glow of firelight.

We round the last curve, and there they are.

We pull up, and Max immediately cuts the headlights. Across the fire, I see the figure of my sister darting behind a man.

Max opened the car door slowly, and jumped out. I did the same. We walked toward the front of the vehicle, until we were in the glow of the firelight.

"They've found us." I heard Opal say.

Liam caught sight of Max, and I saw him take a step back. He swallowed nervously, but pulled his gun out and pointed it at Max anyway.

"You really want to do that, boy?" Was all Max had to say.

Liam hesitated, but lowered his weapon back down.

"We've come alone." Max stated.

"To convince me to come back?" Opal asks me.

"Yes. But right now that's not important." I tell her.

"There's a group of bikers after you. Six of them. They're in this canyon somewhere." Max told them. "We need to leave. Now."

"How do we know you're not just setting a trap for us?" Liam countered.

"A trap?" Max asked incredulously. "If I wanted to take her from you I would just do it."

Liam and Opal both began to argue, but I wasn't paying attention to them. My eyes were focused on Max, and where he was looking. I jumped my eyes to where he was staring, at the top of the cliff face. I squinted my eyes, and I could've sworn I saw a bit of movement. Perhaps it had been the shadow of the flames. But then I heard the rocks shift, and watched the pebbles fall.

I saw Max's eyes follow the pebbles down, and as they did he raised his hand that Liam and Opal should be silent too.

His eyes jumped to mine.

"Did you see him?" He asked me quietly.

I nodded.

"Get in the car with your sister. Lock the doors, get your gun. Don't come out for anything, you understand?" He told me.

I nodded.

"For nothing, Sapphire. Promise me."

"I promise." I told him. He surprised me when he grabbed my hand and yanked me roughly toward him. He kissed me quickly, and when he pulled away he met my eyes intensely. "I love you." He told me. "I love you too." I whispered back. He kissed my forehead before he pushed me away toward the car. I looked at my sister, and we made a run for the car at the same time. As soon as we ran, I heard the sound of several men hollering.

I heard the roar of the desert bikes as they tore into camp, and I yanked the door open to the car. My sister climbed in first, and I after her. I tried to shut it behind us, but a man suddenly appeared and grabbed ahold of the door. He was terrifying. His face was mutated, and he was covered from his bald head, to his bare chest in tattoos.

I tried to pull the door shut, but he was strong. I began to hear gunshots outside the vehicle.

I pulled harder on the door, but it wasn't enough. He was about to yank the door out of my hands when I suddenly heard a loud shot, close up.

My ears rang at the sound of the gunshot. I saw the man holding the door collapse to the ground, a hole in his chest. Max ran up seconds later and slammed the door shut. I locked it immediately.

I watched as Max sprinted to Pearl and Liam's war car to take cover. Our vehicle was heavily armored, and I knew the glass to the car was bulletproof, so as long as we were in here we would be safe. I grabbed my gun and held it in my shaking hands. My eyes were glued to the scene outside, where Max and Liam were now the only things standing between us and the bikers.

* * *

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

I count five men who are about to die.

Liam and I find cover against his war car, and it is the only thing separating us from them. I would've liked to do this in the cars, but thanks to Liam and Opal we hadn't had time for that. But besides that, our attackers had motorcycles. They'd be able to get onto the cars easily, and with Sapphire with me I wasn't willing to risk that. This situation is not what I want at all. We're outnumbered two to one, I'm with a new blood officer as my only back up, I'm not in a car, we're completely cornered, I'm exhausted, and it's the middle of the night. Things aren't really in my favor right now, and I'll have to work hard to correct the odds.

I hear Jessie's voice in my head, but it's a distant echo. The sound of the motorcycles has reminded me of her death. But the very current fear of Sapphire's imminent death was keeping me sane enough to focus.

"Come out you fuckers!" I hear one of the bikers yell. He sprays his gun against the side of the vehicle, and I hear the sound of bullets meeting hard metal.

He'll be the next one to go.

I check my magazine is full before I lean around the side of the vehicle. I fire two shots in quick succession. The first misses. The second hits him in the thigh. I'm shooting with a .45. He collapses screaming.

The other men begin to shoot at us.

We begin a firefight. I give the double tap to the man I shot down, and have to cover quickly to dodge the slinging bullets.

This isn't good. The barrage of bullets is constant.

Next to me, Liam leans around the corner to take a shot, and I hear the sound of a bullet slamming into flesh. The boy falls back, and in the other car in front of me I can hear Opal screaming.

I glance over at his body, and I see the blood on his stomach, the open empty eyes, and the growing pool of blood underneath his body.

That's not good.

I glance up to see Opal banging against the door of the car, trying to unlock it. Sapphire is trying to restrain her.

If this teenager opens up that door so she can hug her dead boyfriend in the middle of a goddman firefight I swear I might shoot her.

I do my best to pick off the rest of them, but they outnumber me and push in closer. By the time they've reached the vehicle there are two left. They charge around the edge of the car at the same time, and I shoot one down. He has fired his gun at the same time, and I feel a dull thump in my stomach but my adrenaline numbs the hit. The other man hits me in the back of my head with his gun, and that one I feel fully. My head rings and my vision blurs, and I go down.

I feel the cool metal of my own gun slide from my fingers. I hear it hit the sand, and I lunge after it but my vision is blurry. I feel a hand grab my boot and pull me away from my gun. I struggle against him, and manage to kick his own gun out of his hand in the process. I want to hit him, but I'm still not right from when he hit my head.

He lunges down toward me, forgetting his weapon. He punches me hard across the face twice before his hands find my neck, and he locks down on me.

The realization that I'm going to die comes to me quickly.

I fight furiously but I can't see anything. I'm choking from lack of air, and the blood in my mouth tells me that even if I could gasp a breath I would choke even worse.

Why did it have to be in front of her?

I do hear her now. Over everything else. I hear her muffled screaming from inside of the car. She's screaming my name. I hear a sob.

She thinks I'm invincible. She's about to find out how wrong she is.

Suddenly, I hear gunshots and my attackers grip is released. I instantly roll away from him and choke and cough as I try to breathe. I spit the blood out of my mouth, and take in a sandy, iron flavored breath.

The world bounds back to me. I see Sapphire, standing just outside the car. Her gun is raised and she has it aimed at the man who had just been strangling me. She's shot him. My attacker. She was supposed to stay in the car.

My attacker is rolling on the ground, cursing profusely. I don't know how many times she hit him, but he's still alive. I turn and my eyes comb the surrounding area, and find my gun. It glints gently in the firelight.

I lunge toward it, grab the weapon, and flip over onto my back. I pointed my gun at the man and emptied what was left of the clip into him.

As he stills, my head falls back to the dirt.

Well fuck, that was almost really awful.

I feel really awful, actually.

"Max!" I hear her scream and hear her feet scrambling across the sand.

She lands on her hands and knees at my side.

"Oh, Max."

I can hear her crying.

This is why I didn't want her to come.

I feel her hands shaking as she checks me for injuries. I feel one of her tears land on my face. I'm not worth her tears. But she sheds them for me anyway.

I feel her fingers run gently over my face. I flinch away from her touch as she reaches the place my attacker's knuckles have imprinted my head.

I can feel my mouth filling with blood again. I roll onto my side to spit out more blood.

Sapphire yells to Opal to bring water, and I hear the scampering of the girls feet. Sapphire takes the canteen from her and pours the water into my mouth.

The water stings painfully over the cuts in my mouth, but I swish it and spit the water out all the same. I repeat this process several times before I'm actually able to drink any of the water.

I suddenly hear Sapphire's voice more urgently. "Oh my god." She pulls up my shirt and touches a part of my stomach that has a steadily more painful ache.

"Max." I hear her say. "Max, you've been shot. Opal, he's been shot. Get the med kit from the car, now!"

Shot? Oh, that's not good. I feel her hand squeezing mine, and I hear her voice calling out my name. She puts pressure on my abdomen and the pain is almost blinding. Her voice is = a distant echo, now, that just fades further and further away.

The last thing I remember is seeing Sapphire's face swimming in front of mine.

* * *

When I wake up, I'm in a bed. My face aches, and I can feel a twinge in my abdomen. I blink quickly, and I see tan stone all around me.

"Hey."

I turn and I see Sapphire sitting at my bedside. She instantly grabs hold of my hand as I wake, and I feel her press her lips against my knuckle.

"How do you feel?" She asks me.

"Like shit." I mumble out.

She smiles sadly at me. "I know. I'm sorry, Max. I'm so sorry."

I want to tell her not to be sorry. But talking is a lot of effort right now. I don't get the chance to anyway. The door to the room opens and Furiosa walks in.

Furiosa.

I'm shocked as she walks in. She looks just as feisty and strong as I remembered. Her eyes meet mine, and as they do I feel my heart rate quicken just a little bit. I had forgotten what it was like to be in her presence. We've never done anything together. Well, we technically swapped bodily fluids. She is nothing like Sapphire. But she does something different to me.

Her eyes meet mine and it feels like when I walked away from her. Our gaze lingers longer than it should for a man that has a wife. And unfortunately, this doesn't go unnoticed by my wife. Her eyes flick from my face to Furiosa's and back again. Furiousa catches this as well, and as soon as she does she blinks and breaks my gaze before she speaks.

"You're lucky our patrol found you." She stated to me. "Although I can't believe you brought two gemstones out into the desert without any backup."

I don't need this shit from her right now.

"It's a long story." I mutter out.

"I bet it is." She replied. She looked like she wanted to say more, but she was interrupted by Sapphire.

"He needs rest." She stated firmly.

I glanced over at my wife, as Furiosa's eyes jump to her. Sapphire didn't back down. She doesn't look like starlight anymore. She looks like ice.

Furiosa lingered for a moment. "Of course." She finally stated. She walked out of the room quickly, and shut the door behind her.

So I was in the Citadel. And Sapphire and Furiosa had met without me. This was going to be interesting.

And although Sapphire had been short with Furiosa, I knew she was right about me needing rest. I felt exhausted. I shut my eyes again, and fell back to sleep.

* * *

As Max slept, my mind raced.

He would be ok now. I had done what I could for him in the canyon, but Furiosa was right. If the patrol from the Citadel hadn't found us Max would've died out there.

Max was not invincible. I had learned that in the hardest way possible.

I remember watching him get hit, watching him fall down. Watching him be strangled. I remember thinking that any second he was going to bounce back and knock his attacker away.

I don't know when exactly I realized he was about to die.

I'd screamed his name, cried, pounded on the glass for him to fight. But he just began to die in front of me.

I didn't care what he had told me. I got out of the damn car. I fired several shots, three of them hit. It was enough to frighten the man into letting go of Max and stun him for a moment. Just long enough of a moment for Max to kill him.

The Citadel patrol had found us, and when we got to the citadel I'd told the people to tell Furiosa that Max was here. Supposedly she knew him.

I hadn't been fully prepared when she walked into the room.

Tall, strong, and quite striking. When she walked into the room as Max lay sleeping I didn't know what to think of her at first.

She laid her eyes on my husband, and as she found him I saw her gaze soften.

She definitely knew him, alright.

It then occurred to me that it was possible she had been his lover. I had never thought to ask Max about who else he may have had sex with. I just assumed he hadn't at all in a long time.

Maybe I'd been wrong?

Jealousy was a foreign emotion to me. I wasn't sure what to do as I felt it rear its ugly head in my chest.

The way she looked at him made me certain she cared for him, and that he had once cared for her too. My jealousy was unwarranted right now, I needed her to get him well. But I couldn't help the uncomfortable pounding that was reverberating in my chest.

Furiosa was everything I wasn't. We couldn't be more opposite. Had Max ever loved her? Is she what he really wanted?

I was being foolish and petty. I needed to stop all of this.

Furiosa had looked over at me when she walked into the room, and had glanced at my sister who was asleep in another hospital bed.

"Who are you?" She asked me.

"Sapphire." I told her. "My name is Sapphire."

She looked between me and Max, and then to my sister again. "Her?" She asked.

"Opal." I replied.

"Are you-?" She asked confusedly, looking between my sister and I. I could see her face examining us, the way we looked, our clothing. "Are you from the Stone City?"

"Yes." I replied. "We're two of the gemstones."

"Why are you with him?" She asked me, pointing to Max with her good arm.

"He's my husband." I answered immediately.

She looked completely shocked by my response. She didn't say anything else, she just walked out.

Max had slept all day, and then had woken up the next day. Just in time for a visit from Furiosa. When he laid eyes on her and I saw his expression, I knew I had been right. He did care for her.

I didn't mean to snap at her. But I couldn't help it. I didn't know her at all, and my husband was looking at her in a way that he normally reserved for me. I hated it. But she was currently the only reason he was alive.

He woke again a few hours later, after Furiosa had left. This time he seemed more coherent.

"Hey." I told him as he woke.

"Hey." He replied hoarsely. "You got out of the car."

I smile slightly. Of course that's what he was worried about.

"Thank you." He told me.

I was surprised by his statement. I had expected a chastising.

"You're welcome." I whispered back.

He turned his palm up, and I immediately took his hand. I looked at him a few more moments, and as I looked at his battered body I couldn't help the tears that welled to my eyes.

"No." I heard him immediately say. "Don't cry any more."

"I'm sorry." I whispered out as I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand. "I thought you were going to die. I thought you were going to die out there in my arms."

"I did too." He told me.

I couldn't hold them back any more after that. I let my tears fall freely from my face.

"Please stop that." I hear him tell me. "Please, Sapphire."

I can't stop though. The events that had played out over the past couple of days had shaken me deeply. I had never seen raw human violence like that before. I'd seen men be shot, I'd seen my husband nearly killed, I'd seen my own husband kill and mutilate other people. He'd nearly died in my arms. The world had lost a lot of its glimmer for me in the past few days.

"It's all fucked, isn't it?" I finally whisper out. "Everything out here." I don't know that I've ever cursed before.

"No." He answered. "If I've learned anything from you, it's that not everything is."

I sniffle and wipe more of my tears away.

"Come lay with me." He orders me.

I've never wanted anything more than to be pressed against him. I instantly nod, and walk around to the other side of the bed. I crawl into it, and immediately snuggle against his bare chest. I'm careful not to agitate the wound on his abdomen. I feel his fingers find my hair, and he winds a few strands in his fingers.

"We're gonna make it." He says. I don't know if he's telling me or himself.

I nod into his chest and bury my head against him. The tears fall freely from my face, and I feel them dampening his bare chest. But he doesn't tell me not to cry again. He just gently tugs on my hair. As he does, I suddenly find myself very tired. I haven't slept since we arrived at the citadel. He'd gone into surgery almost immediately upon our arrival, and I'd stayed by his bedside since. I had been terrified that each breath he took might be his last.

My eyes fluttered shut, and I tried to fight the sleep that was overtaking me. I felt his voice rumbling in his chest as he spoke.

"Go to sleep, love." He told me softly as he gently pulled his fingers through my hair.

I didn't fight it anymore, and as soon as I shut my eyes I fell into nothing.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading please leave me a review!


	13. Chapter 13: Reflection

A/N: Sorry this took so long. I had some trouble finding muse for this chapter, but it's finally done!

Thanks to all my readers, and thank you to my reviewers.

'Louisapallot', 'JINKIsscoobydoo', 'Frances357', 'Jeralee', 'FrostSapphire', and 'Jan-rayne'.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: Reflection

I walked down the hall of the Citadel, to the room my sister had been staying in. Max was asleep when I'd left him, and had been doing better in the past couple of days. We'd be leaving soon if he had his way.

Opal had not been doing well. Liam's death had been hard on her, and she had refused to speak to me when I had gone to see her.

I went to her room again now to try and make a break-through with her.

I knocked on the door, and Opal opened it. She wasn't alone, she was with Capable. They had been together several times, recently. Capable brushed past me quickly as she left the room, and I entered as soon as she left.

Opal shut the door behind us, and walked over to a chair and sat down. As she did, I began to speak.

"I'm very sorry about your loss, Opal." I told her.

"Don't pretend you feel bad for me." Opal snapped back. "You hated him and you didn't even know him."

"I was concerned for you. You're my sister." I replied. "My feelings about your relationship do not change the fact that you are hurt. I never want to see you hurting."

She was silent for several moments, so I filled the gap.

"I'm very sorry." I stated.

"Thank you." She finally consented.

"You should come back home with us." I told her.

She shook her head. "I'm not going back there." She exhaled heavily and looked down at her hands. "I can't. After everything that's happened, after what I've seen. Everything is different for me now. I know that I do not want that life."

"It is a good life." I tried to tell her.

"For you." She consented. "But I'm not you and I never will be. I don't know how to play politics like you, and I don't want to. I just want to be happy and live a quiet life with someone I love. Someone that I pick."

"I didn't pick Max." I told her. "And it worked out for me."

"We're not all like you, Sapphire." She told me. "There's no guarantee that the man I'm bound to will be like him. You got lucky. You fell in love. You're the only one of us, you know that right? Ruby, Alexandrite, Emerald. None of them are in love with their husbands. They love them, they respect them, but you're the only one that has fallen in love. And what's more, he loves you too. Liam was that for me. And I'd rather take my chances with picking my own out here, than having one picked for me in there."

I sat in silence, not knowing what to say to her. I understood where she was coming from. More-so now that I had realized how much I loved Max. If he ever told me he wanted to leave the City of Stones, I would probably go with him.

"Okay." I finally said.

She looked at me in shock. "That's it?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yes. If you don't want to come back, I won't make you. I'm your sister, not mother or father."

"What will you tell them?" She asked.

"I've got a couple more days to come up with something." I replied.

She nodded. "Thank you." She finally said.

* * *

I sat up in my bed, alone for the first time since I had been at the Citadel. Not that I expected Sapphire to be at my side every moment, but I was rather disappointed when I realized she wasn't here.

I wasn't alone long.

My door opened, and Furiosa walked in.

I felt a familiar quickening in my chest at the sight of her. Why did she make me so nervous? I didn't always recall feeling that when she looked at me. I think it had something to do with the way I had last left her. I hadn't planned on seeing her again.

"Max." She said to me.

I was no longer Fool.

"Furiosa." I replied.

She walked toward me, and took a seat in the spot that had been reserved for Sapphire. "How are you feeling?" She asked me.

"I've been worse." I told her. I hesitated for a moment before I spoke. "Thank you, for all this."

"I owed you one." She replied. "You know, when I'd heard about a Deathlord Max running for the City of Stones, I wondered if it might be you. I didn't think that you were the type that took orders, though."

I shrugged a shoulder. "Got tired of running."

"You could've come back here. You know that." She told me. "You still could. You wouldn't have to follow any orders here."

I did, I knew that. But I'd chosen not to. I had chosen to go to the City of Stones, chosen to join their army and chosen to become a Deathlord. And I had chosen to stay.

"I know." I told her.

She turned her head to the side and squinted her eyes as she examined me. "You're different now." She stated.

"How so?" I asked her.

"You talk, for one." She began.

I grunted and shrugged.

"Well, more than you used to." She added at my response. "You have a wife, you take orders. But it's more than just that. You've changed."

"Changed?" I asked her.

"Yes. Was it her?" She asked, clearly referring to Sapphire. It was an awfully personal question. Furiosa and I don't ask each other personal questions.

She saw the look on my face, and immediately dropped her eyes from mine. "I didn't mean to pry."

I knew she hadn't meant anything by it. But my life and everything that happened in it had been very private for a very long time. Sapphire was the first person I had opened up to in years. I wasn't going to discuss anything that didn't apply to Furiosa with her. I changed the subject to avoid the question she had asked me.

"Sapphire and I came here looking for her sister and the man she had run away with. He's dead now, and I don't know how she is going to feel about returning to the city. Would you let her stay here, if she won't come with us? You know what it's like for a girl like her out there."

"Of course." Furiosa replied. "She's been talking to Capable. I think she'll do well here."

I nodded, and said nothing else. We sat in silence for some time before Furiosa broke the silence.

"You should've come back here." She finally said.

My eyes darted back to her face. I didn't speak, and she continued.

"I thought you would, one day. And I suppose you have. But I didn't expect we would meet again like this."

"What's wrong with how we're meeting now?" I questioned.

"You have no intention of staying, you're injured, and you have a wife."

I exhaled heavily at her words. I had cared about Furiosa once, and I still did. But I didn't love her, I knew that. Furiosa was just like me. I didn't need someone just like me. I needed someone exactly like Sapphire.

"I can't stay here." I replied. "I never could."

Furiosa nodded once in understanding, and stood. "I'm glad she makes you happy." She told me. "You deserve it, whether you think so or not."

At that moment, Sapphire entered the room. She shut the door behind her quickly, and dipped her head to Furiosa politely before she spoke.

"My sister does not wish the return to the City of Stones." She told me. I didn't get to respond, Furiosa answered for me.

"She may stay here. She'll be safe." She told Sapphire.

Sapphire lowered her head. "Thank you."

"And also, tell your King that the Citadel is interested in an allegiance with the Stone City." She continued. I looked over at Furiosa in surprise, but she was looking at Sapphire.

"I will tell him." Sapphire replied.

With that, Furiosa exited the room, leaving me alone with Sapphire.

Sapphire walked over to my bedside and took Furiosa's place.

"You care for her?" She asked me immediately. When I had seen Sapphire's jealousy the other day, I had known this was coming.

"Yes." I answered. I looked right at her as I said it.

"Do you love her?" She asked me. I heard a slight shake in her voice as she asked the question.

"No. You are the only woman I love." I answered her.

She nodded tentatively, and I gave her a soft smile. "Just a couple more days, and we'll be home." I told her.

* * *

I came through with my promise, and we left at the end of the week. We were accompanied by a small team from the Citadel, to escort us safely home. When we got in the car to head back to the City of Stones, Sapphire looked at me questioningly.

"What will we tell my parents?" She asked me.

"The truth." I replied. I just had to hope that her parents were okay with what had happened.

The first thing I did once we were back on the road was teach Sapphire how to drive. It took a little bit, but eventually she got the hang of it. I wasn't going to be able to drive for very long with my injury, and in case something happened she needed to know how.

Once she was successfully driving the vehicle, the look of glee on her face at her accomplishment made the pain in my stomach a little less.

We arrived at the City of Stones in a little over three days, and I was immediately sent to my quarters to rest while Sapphire was sent to the throne room to talk to her parents.

….

I walk into the throne room, and my mother and father are waiting for me.

"You come alone?" My father asks.

I am terrified. I don't talk with my father, and on the first mission I have been sent on I failed.

"She would not return of her own free will. The man she was with was killed, and I believe it affected her deeply." Was all I offered. If they couldn't respect what she wanted, I didn't know what to say. There was no way Opal had intended on coming back on her own. "She is at the Citadel, and Imperator Furiosa has promised to keep her safe. She has also offered us an allegiance with the Citadel."

My father bore his eyes into me, and I dropped my gaze from his.

"You left your sister in the Citadel?" He asked me.

I nodded my head. "Yes. She would not willingly return. The man she was with was killed, she was changed after. She would not return."

He sat back in his throne, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Opal's decision is her own. It's a pity, I needed her here. No matter. The day will come when Opal will realize what this family meant to her, and what we were trying to accomplish here. The Citadel, however, this is an interesting twist. Another ally could be just what we need right now. I t would seem yours and Max's mission was not a complete failure. Diplomatically, we may have accomplished something. I will send an emissary to discuss terms with the Citadel. Return to your husband, tend to his injuries, and rest. Come next week you will begin your involvement with the people."

"Of course, Father." I replied immediately. I walked out of the throne room hurriedly, and immediately made my way towards my home with Max. Our adventure outside had been enlightening, and I had enjoyed the scenery. But I had also watched my husband get shot. It felt nice to be able to say I was going home.

I walked in my house, and when I did Max was sitting on the sofa. His head immediately turned when I entered, so I could only assume that he had been waiting for me.

"You should be resting." I immediately scolded him.

"I'm resting right here." He answered back.

I shook my head in disapproval before I made my way over to him and helped him to stand. He was well on his way to a full recovery, but it still made me anxious to see him move about too much on his own.

Now that we were home, I wanted nothing more than to be with him without the imminent fear of death breathing down our necks.

"Let's get ready for bed." I told him quietly.

He nodded in agreement with me, and we made our way to our room. It was no longer just his room, it was ours now. Ever since he had asked me to stay with him, always, even when he wasn't there. I couldn't help the feeling of warmth I had in my chest when I thought about the changes Max and I had been through since our first meeting. I turned my head as I led him to our room, and he immediately met my eyes. The intense look behind them, so much different from when he had first laid eyes on me several months ago, gave me chills. Max and I had gone from being complete strangers, thrown together in a game of chance and circumstance, to being completely in love.

And I had almost lost him on the quest to find my sister.

We readied for bed, but first decided to clean from the trip home. We bathed together before heading to bed. He wrapped his arms around me, and as he did I sighed heavily. As soon as I sighed, he spoke.

"Somethings bothering you." His voice growled out after several moments of silence. I could feel his chest rumble as he spoke.

"Yes." I admitted to him. Many things had been bothering me since our trip.

He hesitated before he asked me. "What's wrong?" I could hear the apprehension in his voice as he posed me the question. I had seen him in action now. I knew he couldn't let go of the fear that my love for him was now diminished from what I had seen. He was wrong. He was so wrong.

"I thought you were dead, Max." I finally managed to whisper out. I felt tears prick at the back of my eyes as I spoke, and I fought them as best as I could.

"I know." He finally said softly. He lifted his hand to my face and pushed my hair back before he held my face in his hand. I knew that we had talked about this in the Citadel, but the image of Max bleeding out in my arms was engrained in my mind. I had screamed and cried until I thought my lungs were going to give out. I had used every medical skill I had learned to save him from death, but it hadn't been nearly close enough. The only reason he was alive was because of the Citadel patrol that happened to pass by.

"That's why you didn't want me to come, isn't it?" I asked him, my voice trembling. "You knew about everything that could happen out there."

"I was afraid of a lot more than that." He answered. As he spoke, one of the tears I had been holding back fell down my face. He wiped it away gently with his thumb before he spoke again. "I love you very much, Sapphire." He told me. "I don't want to see you like this. Especially not over me."

"I love you." I told him. He still wasn't used to hearing me say it, and my words registered on his face. "And you are worth every single tear that I have shed over you."

I could see him trying to process a response to what I had just said. Max wasn't very good with the emotional aspects of our relationship.

"You still don't get it." I told him quietly. I leaned up to him, and I pressed my lips against his. As soon as I did, he pulled me against him. We kissed for several moments, before I broke away from him and spoke. "I love you, Max." I held his face in my hands as I spoke to him. "I want to see you when I wake up in the morning, and before I go to sleep at night. I want to hear your voice say my name. I want to feel your hands on me. I want to make love to you, and God willing I want to raise your sons. But to do all of that I need you here, with me. Alive. How can I ever watch you walk out of the door again now that I know for certain what awaits you?"

"Sapphire…" He said quietly. "You know there is no other way."

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, the tears fell down my face. He was right. There was no place safer for me than here. And no person more capable of defending it than Max. Now more than ever I understood the sacrifices of the soldiers, and of the Deathlords. Everything that my Mother had always told me about them made sense now. Every time they step out of those walls they risk their lives for us, that's what she had always said. I knew when Max left the safety of these walls, he did it for my sake, to keep me safe. At the cost of his own life if that's what it meant.

"I can't." I finally sniffled out between tears. He pulled my head into his chest and gently stroked my hair in an attempt to soothe me. "I can't do this, Max." I whispered. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

"This is the only place you're safe." He told me quietly. His fingers kept up their rhythmic pull on my hair, and he deep rumble of his voice soothed me. "I've already told you that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. If that means going out again, so be it."

At his words, I let out another small sob, but I didn't speak again, and he didn't try to comfort me with words. He shushed me quietly, and gently ran his fingertips over my body in soothing circles. He was a Deathlord, and I a Princess. He was only in this bed with me because he knew what it meant to put others before himself.

"You must always come back to me." I whispered to him finally. "Promise me."

He didn't answer at first. "Don't do this." He finally answered. "Don't force me to make a promise I might now be able to keep."

I leaned up to look into his eyes, and spoke again. "Promise me, Max. Promise you'll always come home to me."

I could see him struggling with a response, but eventually he consented. "I promise." He told me quietly.

Immediately, I kissed him. When I pulled away, He stopped me from settling down again. He held my face in his hands, and his steely eyes caught mine. I felt his thumb brush over my cheek, and then over my lips.

"I'm glad I decided to come here." He told me. "I'm glad I decided to fill the bounty for the Nightingale. But most importantly, I'm glad that I found you."

My heart stopped at his words. Max wasn't very revealing about himself, nor was he very forthcoming with his feelings. I didn't know what to say, and Max only offered me a small smile from one corner of his mouth. He released my face, and I cuddled against him. "Get some sleep, love." He told me, and I shut my eyes as I listened to his chest rumble.

I used to be afraid to sleep with Max. Now, in his arms, there was no place in the world I felt safer.

* * *

A/N: Sorry this one took so long. Please, R&R!


	14. Chapter 14: Crucified

A/N: Thanks so much for reading my story.

Shoutouts for my reviewers,

'LittleGreenEyedGirl', 'Grimjaww', 'louisapallot', 'FrostSapphire', and 'sweetchill'. Thanks so much for your support!

And as for Grimjaww, I think you have certainly been picking up on some of the foreshadowing that I have been laying down. We'll just have to see.

* * *

Chapter 14: Crucified

I woke up with the weight of Sapphire on my chest. She slept soundly and peacefully on me, her head buried in the side of my neck. It had been about three weeks since we had returned from the Citadel, and today I woke with a heavy heart. I was going to break Sapphire's heart today.

I was being sent out of the city for the first time since we had returned from the Citadel. The King had sent Deathlord Laz to negotiate with Furiosa almost two weeks ago. It was past time he should have returned to the city. I was going to be sent with a small squadron to locate our missing general. I had only been told of this last night, Sapphire didn't know yet.

She had been so happy since I had been staying home. This was the longest time I had stayed inside of the city since I had been bound to her. But it was going to end today. I didn't know how to tell her. I didn't want to tell her.

I exhaled heavily and gently brushed along her back with my fingers. She was so soft, always so soft. So unlike the dry, rough sands I was going to be immersed into during the coming days. The more I thought about it, the less that I wanted to tell her. I knew it was going to crush her.

This all felt very familiar to me. I remembered Jessie, how much she hated me driving. Now I had another wife who hated what I did for a living.

Sapphire stirred in my arms, and snuggled closer to my chest. "What time is it?" I heard her murmur against me.

"Not yet six." I answered.

She yawned and pulled herself closer to me. "I still have time to sleep then."

As she pulled herself closer to me, I felt my responsibility turn into a heavy weight on my shoulders. I didn't want to leave her.

"I have to go." I finally muttered.

Immediately, her eyes flew open and she sat up in bed. She clutched the sheets around her naked form as she did, shielding herself. "Go?" She asked me. Her icy eyes were wide now, no trace of sleep left in them.

"Deathlord Laz has not returned from his expedition to the Citadel. I have to go find him." I told her.

"When did they tell you?" She asked me.

"Last night." I replied.

She nodded, and dropped her eyes from me. Her hair fell around her shoulders in a blonde waterfall and hid her face from me. I felt my chest ache as I looked at her. I sat up properly in our bed, and brushed her hair over one shoulder.

"How long?" She asked as I moved her hair.

"A week." I told her.

"When do you have to leave?" She asked me.

"An hour and a half." I answered.

She raised her eyes to meet mine, before she leaned over and kissed me. "We still have some time." She whispered against my lips.

I nodded, and she kissed me again before she climbed on top of me. As I ran my fingers along her skin, I couldn't help but notice the dramatic shift I had made since my arrival here. I would've given anything to keep away from her when I first arrived. Now, I would give anything to stay exactly where I was.

She was already naked as she climbed on top of me. I had made love to her last night as well, and she hadn't bothered to put clothes on to sleep. She knew better by now. If she got in this bed with me I was having my way with her at some point.

But this morning it rather seemed like she was having her way with me. She was already ready when she straddled me, and I slid into her smoothly. I cursed aloud as I entered her, her tightness causing my mind to reel and my desire for her to reach new heights. I slid my hands up her body. From her thighs, to her hips, up her stomach and eventually to her breasts. She began to ride me slowly, and I could tell by her face that she was deliberately antagonizing me. Sapphire enjoyed starting trouble, but she liked when I finished it.

I let her ride me, but as I felt myself getting closer to my own climax I stopped her. I took her by her ribcage, and easily took her off of me. She cried out in disappointment at my sudden withdrawal from her, but when she saw me stand on the side of the bed I could see the excitement in her eyes.

She looked at me coyly from the bed as I stood, and I raised an eyebrow at her. "What?" She asked me innocently. She knew what I wanted.

"Come here and bend over." I finally told her.

She smiled before she moved from where she was and joined me on the ground. She met my eyes evenly but did not yet do as I had requested.

"Do you love me?" She asked me.

"You know I do." I answered her.

"How do I know?" She questioned.

I pulled her by her hips, which initiated a small squeal on her part, and pulled her towards me. My lips found hers, and my hands held her closely against me. When I pulled away from her, I moved my lips to her jaw and kissed down her neck. When my lips were hovering over her collarbone, I whispered it to her.

"I love you." I told her.

I felt her shiver as my breath met her neck, and I pulled back from her to meet her in the eyes.

"Please. Bend over." I told her again.

She smiled coyly, but consented. She turned and bent over the bed, and as soon as she did I stepped up behind her.

This was all apart of her trying to re-civilize me, I knew. She used sex as bait to get me to talk more. And as irritating as it was to me sometimes, I could not deny its effectiveness.

Before I entered her, my hands ran up the length of her body and tangled in her hair for a moment. I brought my hands back down to her hips, and eventually down to her ass. My fingers found their way in between her legs as I checked to made sure she would still accept me easily. She trembled as I touched her, and I shushed her. She was ready.

I positioned myself, and slid into her quickly, burying all of myself in her. She cried out loudly as I did, and I heard her curse and moan my name quickly. I didn't bother giving her time to adjust to me, she was already slick enough to take all of me easily.

I hooked my hands into her hips and began to take her, starting off moderately but quickly increasing my pace. I liked to make love roughly, and now that Sapphire had become accustomed to taking all of me I could do with her as I pleased.

I growled quietly as pleasure began to course through my body in waves, and I tightened my grip on her hips and took her harder. Her cries became higher pitched and more frequent, and I could feel her impending orgasm as well as my own. I tried to hold back mine as long as possible. Hers first, then myself. That was the rule.

I pulled out of her and flipped her over, before I picked her up gently and placed her back against the bed. I climbed back on top of her and re-entered her, and as I did I nearly lost all control of myself. Holding back became nearly impossible, and her small whimpers drove me insane. Her nails raked down my back and her legs wrapped around me. My name became a prayer whispered desperately from her lips, and when I finally felt her tighten around me I allowed myself to come. I held her against me as I finished and she clung to me as the last shudders of her orgasm ran through her body.

I exhaled heavily and pushed Sapphire's white blonde hair out of her face before I kissed her. I rolled off of her and panted as I caught my breath. Next to me, Sapphire did the same. We were quiet for a long while before Sapphire spoke.

"I don't want you to go. I wish it wasn't like this."

"I know." I told her. "Me too." And for the first time in a long time, it was true. I would rather be with her, being near her and being close to her. I wanted to be around other people. For once, I didn't want to be alone in the desert.

* * *

Max shut the door to our home as he left, and I stared at the door for several seconds after he had gone. My chest ached as I watched him walk out of the door, and I held myself as I felt my heart breaking. I didn't want him to go. I never wanted to see him go again.

But whether or not he had to leave was not in my control. And if he came back, this wouldn't be the last time he left.

In the weeks since we had returned from the Citadel, Max and I had grown even closer than we were before. Now that I knew he loved me, I didn't hold anything back. I wasn't his prize, I wasn't a trophy, I wasn't a side part of his deal that he didn't want. He loved me. And I loved him.

I realized now what it felt like to love. I had read about it, heard about it, but I had never felt this way about another person. I wanted nothing more than to be with him always, to raise a family with him, and to end my days by his side. I was disappointed when my period had come shortly after our arrival home from the Citadel.

I stood in silence for another moment and sighed. I was going to miss him dearly. But I couldn't base my entire life around Max's existence.

I had begun my work in the city, and that was what I decided to absorb myself in until Max returned. I made my way to my room and readied myself for the day. I left my room shortly after, and was joined by two guards as I made my way towards the city.

I had spent most of my time in the city's hospital, some time in the orphanage as well. But today I would head to the hospital.

I made my way through the Uppercity until I reached the entrance to the hospital. Built for exactly what it was now before the apocalypse had begun. It was a formidable structure, carved directly into the side of the cave. It was meant that way, so as the city had need for a larger hospital, they only need dig deeper into the mountain.

I walked into the stone structure, and quickly made my way through the halls. I made my way toward the office of Sasha Stone. She was the hospital's Director, as well as its lead doctor. She was a busy woman.

I knocked on the door before I walked in, and a voice commanded me to enter.

I walked into the room and found myself in the company of Doctor Stone. She was a tall woman, taller than me. Very slim with dark skin, and short dark hair. She had a serious sort of air to her, and dark eyes that showed years of hard work.

"Princess." She acknowledged as I entered.

"Doctor Stone." I replied.

"Back again?" She asked me, her voice thick with an accent. "At the end of this week it will have been a month since you started coming."

"I intend to keep coming long after that month ends." I replied.

"And the Queen has been about the Orphanage. Your other sisters walk the streets alongside the Princes." She continued. "I see the Crown making moves."

"It is important for the people of this city to understand that the Royal Family cares about them." I answered.

She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "Eh. It is all politics. I will not complain. I mention to you we could use some new equipment, and it arrives. I mention we're short on antibiotics? Suddenly the Pharmacy has supplies. You listen to us, and you can make sure we are given what we need." She stood up, and walked around the desk. "We'll go visit some patients on the west wing today." She told me.

"The West Wing? I've never been there before." I tell her.

"I know." She answered. "It is where we keep the soldiers wounded in battle. I have a feeling you will do well there."

I followed closely behind her through the hospital, until we reached the West Wing. In my days here, Doctor Stone either sent me out as a regular volunteer in the hospital, or she had me shadow her on her duties. I preferred the latter, and it would seem that's what we were doing today.

We walked into a large room, with several rows of beds. She checked a clipboard beside the door before she chose a direction in the room.

"We'll go visit Jax today." The doctor decided. "He could probably use some company." She began to walk along the beds, until we finally reached the bedside of a soldier. He was looking away from us as we approached, and turned his head only when we stopped at his bedside.

"How are you today, Jax?" Doctor Stone asked.

Immediately, I recognized Jax to be a former War Boy from the Citadel. He had the scars covering his chest and lips, symbolizing his service. While he wasn't pale, his skin looked thin and he looked tired. He couldn't be more than a few years older than me. He had a handsome face, and blonde hair buzzed short.

"I'm alright." He replied quickly, but his focus wasn't on the doctor. It was on me.

"Hello, Jax." I offered. I wasn't sure that he knew who I was, but he was certainly focused on me.

"This is Princess Sapphire." Doctor Stone introduced. "She's been helping us out around here. She's going to check up on you, she knows how don't worry. I'll be back in a bit to check on you." With that, Doctor Stone left me alone with the man.

His eyes remained wide as they looked at me, and my eyes wandered to his chart at the foot of his bed.

"What happened to you?" I asked him as I looked over the chart.

"Got shot." He answered.

"In the abdomen. Three times." I observed as I looked over his papers.

"And yet, here I am." He answered cheerfully.

"You've been here a long time." I replied, still looking at his paperwork.

"Yeah." He answered quietly. He lowered the blanket from his body to reveal a rather large sized lump on his ribs. "Well, ya know. I'm sick. It's been making it hard to get better."

My heart ached as I looked at the cancer eating at his side. My mother told me once there were treatments that we could've used to slow the cancer. Ways we could've removed it. We had a lot of technology built into the facility. But the medication had slowly waned over time and many people were sick.

I walked over to his side and took his wrist in my hand. My eyes looked at my watch as I took his pulse.

"Who did you serve under?" I asked him.

"Marcus." He answered. He was quiet as I checked him over before he finally blurted out a question.

"What're you doing here?" He asked me.

"What do you mean?" I shot back.

"I mean, you're a princess, right? Why do you wanna be around me?"

"You would've sacrificed your life to keep our city safe." I began. "I can sacrifice a few hours of my time for your well-being."

That answer seemed to satisfy him, and after that he seemed less awkward around me. I learned that he lived in the Undercity with several former War Boys, who had left the Citadel together after Immortan Joe had died. This city had given them new purpose. I pulled up a chair beside Jax's bed, and he began to tell me stories about his life, and I listened. It struck me that he seemed lonely, and to give him some of my time seemed the least I could do.

A nurse walked by, and placed a clean blanket at the foot of the bed. She was an older woman, and at first I didn't give her a second thought as she walked by. But then I recognized something in the way she walked.

"May?" I called out.

She immediately stopped and turned her head. Sure enough, it was the same woman that I had helped in the market so long ago.

"Princess Sapphire!" She immediately said in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Just keeping my friend here company." I replied with a look in Jax's direction. "How is your son?" I asked her.

"Quite well. He recovered, got out of the hospital. Now I spend my time volunteering here." She answered me.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it." I answered.

She smiled a wrinkly smile at me, and joined me at Jax's bedside. As the three of us talked, it occurred to me that I had made my first set of friends.

* * *

It had been five days since I had set out from home. I had made it to the Citadel and learned that Laz had made it there, made an arrangement with Furiosa successfully, and left for the City of Stones almost a week ago.

Now, I rode with my own squadron of men, and additionally a squad from the Citadel in the search for the missing General.

We rode through the canyons that I had originally gotten shot in. I had passed by here only two days before. We rounded a corner in the canyon, and as we turned a corner my heart sank.

Laz was there. Crucified, in the middle of the roadway. I stopped the caravan of cars, and hopped out to look at him.

He was cut up bad. It looked like they had tortured him before they had strung him up. He was most certainly dead now. Vultures sat on his shoulders like parrots, and the scavengers had already begun to eat at his flesh. His squad was done up similarly behind him, surrounded by the birds.

"Take them down." I growled out after a few moments of silence.

Immediately, my men began to work on removing the soldiers from the crosses they were on. When Laz was finally lowered down, I inspected him myself.

He was the youngest of the Deathlords, certainly the most green. I didn't work with him often, but from what I heard he was quite capable. It would've taken a large group to take him and his squad of nine down.

On his chest, pinned to him with a nail, was a piece of folded paper. I removed it carefully, and unfolded it. It was a note. It occurred to me that it wasn't written in black ink, but rather in blood. I had a feeling it was Laz's.

 _Hello there,_

 _I would like to meet with King Augustus, in the City of Stones. Send your men into the desert, and I will find them and arrange for a parley. I'm returning Deathlord Laz to you mostly whole. Take it as a sign of my good will._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Axel Graves_

I refolded the paper and tucked it away into my pocket. This wasn't good at all.

I had been in this very same canyon two days prior, and there had been no body. It looked like Laz had been dead at least four days. I cast my eyes upwards, toward the cliffs, now certain we were being watched.

"Hurry up and load them in the cars." I ordered. "We won't leave them as food for the vultures. They'll be given proper burials, all of them. But do it quick, we need to keep moving."

I didn't know what this meant, but I knew it wasn't good. I wanted to get back home. Deep inside me, I felt this was different. We had yet to face a threat like this.

* * *

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Please remember to leave a review and let me know what you think.

Who is Axel Graves? What do you think he means for the City?


	15. Chapter 15: Revelations

A/N: Thank you for reading!

A shoutout for my reviewers,

'Jan-rayne', and 'Cotton Strings'. Thank you so much.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 15: Revelations

The King stood before me, his eyes fixated on the note that I had returned to him. Before him, all of the remaining Deathlords were assembled. The King frowned as he read the note, and quickly crumpled it and tossed it to the side before he spoke.

"This Axel Graves will be dealt with as we deal with like every serpent that comes crawling to our door. We will crush him. Deathlord Victor and Deathlord Kane. Handle this annoyance. Ride out to meet him with your finest men, and exterminate this vermin." He ordered.

"My King?" I interrupted.

Immediately, the King's eyes flew over to me. "Yes, Max? Speak."

"We have never heard of this man before. We have no idea where he came from, who he rides with, or how many ride with them. I suggest a small reconnaissance mission, to assess what we're dealing with."

The King stroked his beard thoughtfully for a moment.

"Very well. Victor, Kane, choose a small group of men and gain as much intel as you can on this man. Avoid engaging them at all costs."

The men nodded in agreement before they filed out of the room quickly. I followed closely behind them and headed toward my home.

Since I had given my original report of the mission on my arrival home, word had spread like wildfire through the city. A Deathlord had been killed. His entire squad decimated. This was a big deal. The Deathlords were more than just men to this City. We were symbols, something unattainable, something to strive towards. We certainly weren't mortal. Well, at least it used to be that way.

I opened the door to the house, and immediately my eyes scanned the room for Sapphire. I found her quickly. She was sitting at the small nightgardens on our balcony. She immediately rose when I entered, and I walked over to her immediately.

She wrapped her arms around my neck as soon as I got near her and hugged her body close against mine. I wrapped my arms around her and buried my face in her hair. She smelled sweet, like vanilla. I had missed her badly.

She pulled away from me, and her hands found their way to my chest.

"Laz is dead?" She asked me in an urgent whisper.

I nodded. I could see the fear in her eyes and hear it in her voice.

"I heard he was crucified- Strung up. Him and all of his men." Her voice was frantic, I could hear the fear in her voice.

"Hey, hey." I replied to her. "It's alright." I rubbed her arms soothingly and kissed her on the forehead. "It's war. Men die." I told her. "Laz is just a man. He may be a general, but he's just a man."

"So you don't think we should worry?" She asked me. I heard the slight tremble in her voice.

"No." I lied to her. "No, don't worry."

She nodded and I saw her begin to relax. I didn't want to lie to her, but to have her in fear was equally as undesirable to me. I didn't know who this Axel Graves was, but based off of my experience with men in this world and what I had seen the days prior in the canyon, I knew this could only mean trouble.

"Nothing bad will ever happen to you as long as I'm around, alright?" I told her. "Victor and Kane have been sent out, they'll take care of it." I assured her.

She nodded quickly, but I wasn't sure if she believed me or not.

"When I heard about them- The crucifixion- I just kept imagining that it was you." She told me.

I shook my head. "I made a promise." I answered. A promise I would one day be forced to break, but a promise nonetheless. "I'm here, I'm safe. You don't need to worry."

* * *

I laid across the couch in the living room with Sapphire's back against my chest and her head tucked under my chin. Her body rested between my legs, and in her hands she held a book that she was reading aloud to me quietly. I liked hearing her read. Her voice was delightful to hear, it was full of emotion and depth. When she read of happiness her voice was a gentle windchime, and when she read of sadness her voice grew somber and low.

"The only people for me are the mad ones," She read the lines from the book easily and quickly. "The ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars."

My fingertips stroked her arm soothingly as I listened to her voice, but my mind was racing so quickly that I hardly heard the words she was saying. The arrival of this new enemy had me concerned.

He was a monster, that much was clear. Nobody of sound mind or firm moral standing killed like that. He was a new threat, and an unknown one. I had never known his name before I found Laz's body, and to my knowledge neither did anyone else. We didn't know how many men he had, or what he was after.

I felt each breath that Sapphire took in, and I knew that I couldn't let anything happen to her. She was so precious to me, now.

My fingers moved to her hair, and I pushed it to the side so that I could touch the soft skin on her shoulder and neck with my fingers.

"You're so beautiful." I told her quietly as I brushed the delicate skin along her collarbone.

"Have you been listening to me at all?" She asked as I touched her. "Or have you been admiring me this whole time?"

I smiled into her hair and kissed her head gently. "Both."

She closed the book and placed it on the table beside us. She shifted on top of me so that her chest was against mine, and leaned forward to my face. She smiled just slightly before she kissed me, and as I felt her lips against mine I found that I suddenly appreciated them more than I ever had. "Whatever will I do with you?" She asked me playfully as she pulled away from me. She folded her hands on my chest and rested her chin on them delicately. I met her crystal eyes and my fingers found their way into her hair.

She smiled softly at me as I touched her.

"Will you tell me a story about yourself?" She asked me.

"A story?" I repeated.

"Yes." She answered. "One of your adventures."

"I don't go on adventures." I answered.

She looked at me playfully and arched an eyebrow. "That's certainly not true."

I debated with myself for a moment. I decided I wanted to tell her something about me. Something to make me real to her. I knew so much about her, about her life. She knew virtually nothing about me.

"Alright." I finally consented. She adjusted herself on my chest and her eyes looked at me eagerly.

"Once, I went to a place called Barter Town. It was like that town we went to, the Outpost. A woman named Aunty Entity ran the place. In the middle of the town was a big cage shaped like a dome. They called it the Thunderdome, and it was a place where men fought in single combat to the death."

"Did you fight there?" She asked me eagerly.

"I wouldn't bring it up if I hadn't." I answered. I told her all about Barter Town, about my deal with Aunty Entity. I told her about Master Blaster, about my battle with Blaster in the Thunderdome, and my refusal to kill him. I told her about my exile, finding the children in the desert and their belief in me as Captain Walker. I told her about saving the children, my return to Barter Town, the Gyrocopter Pilot, and how Aunty Entity spared me when she realized that I had freed Master to save the children.

When I finished the story, she reached a hand forward and ran her fingertips along my cheek.

"Will you ever stop surprising me, Max?" She asked me with a small, bemused smile.

I didn't answer, just grunted.

She laughed aloud. "If you're not careful people might start to think you're a hero."

"I'm not a hero." I immediately answered.

"To those children you were. To your soldiers you are, and to me you are."

I thought of the man in the Outpost Inn and his gouged eyes. Of the man I had handcuffed to the car about to explode so many years ago, and the saw I had tossed him to saw off his own limb.

"No." I finally answered after a few moments of silence.

She held my face in her hands and moved toward me to kiss me. When she pulled away from me, she was just inches from my face and she spoke to me softly.

"You have to forgive yourself." She said to me quietly. Her fingers stroked my cheek gently, and her eyes seemed to see through me. "You are a good man, Max. You are. You will realize it before the end."

* * *

Five days later, I made my way to my mother's room, walking along the familiar stone corridors until I reached her door. She had summoned me here just after Max had been taken for a meeting with the King. I knocked, and a handmaiden answered. I entered quickly, and found my mother sitting on the carpet playing with a herd of carved wooden horses with my brother.

"Your husband is away?" She asked me as I entered.

"In a meeting with Father." I answered.

She nodded in understanding, and stood from her position next to Caleb on the ground. She walked toward her balcony, and I followed after her. She shut the doors to the balcony behind herself as we walked out.

"What's bothering you?" She asked me. "I can see it written all over your face."

"Max lied to me." I told her.

"About what?" She asked me as she sat down at the small table on the balcony.

"Axel Graves. Laz's death." I told her. "I asked him if we were in danger, and he said no. But I don't think he really believes it." It had been nearly a week since Max had returned with the news of Laz's death.

My mother was quiet, and when she finally spoke her voice was low. "We are in danger." She finally answered. "Your father must be telling the Deathlords now. We have most certainly underestimated our enemy."

My heart rate quickened. "What do you know?"

My mother ushered me over to the table on her balcony, and motioned I should sit. I obliged her, and she sat across from me.

"Intel came in late last night. One of the Officers sent out with Kane and Victor. He reported that they stumbled on a camp of at least five thousand."

Shock hit me all at once. "Five Thousand?" I barely whispered out.

She nodded to me.

"But Father only sent out maybe twenty men-"

"Twenty of our finest men." My mother spat out in annoyance. "Good men. Officers. Captains. Two of our Deathlords. All exterminated by this Axel Graves. This lone officer made it back by himself. Graves released him after he was finished, made sure we would get the message."

I sat very still as I absorbed this information. "I don't understand. Where are they coming from? That many men-"

"The great salt plains." My mother answered. "Another continent, Sapphire. Or what used to be another continent, before most of the Oceans evaporated. They rode hundreds of days across the salt plains."

"Why?" I asked urgently.

She shrugged. "Perhaps they were running low on supplies where they were, perhaps he wanted more men, wanted to be a conqueror. Perhaps just because he could."

"My god." I murmured, my hand over my mouth. "If he knows about this city… Do you think he will try to take it?"

"I don't know." She answered honestly.

"Could he take it if he wanted to?" I asked.

"Our population in the city numbers nearly seven thousand. Of them only two thousand are fighting men." She answered. "We don't know if he has advanced weaponry, or more men than he let on. We don't know about his battle strategies. But regardless of that, this is meant to be a shelter. It wasn't built to fight an army. We have no battlements, no cannons. No way to defend the city unless we lock our men out of it and force them to fight from the canyon and the side of the mountain."

"But this place was meant to withstand a nuclear war!" I argued back. "Certainly he couldn't just get in, could he?"

"It was meant to withstand the aftermath of a nuclear war. A single nuclear blast, far away. If Graves has enough munitions, he could blow the first gate open. Then proceed further in and blow the second. Then further in and blow the third. We have no way to fight him at each gate unless we open the gate to let our men out. No way to let our men back in if they get overwhelmed without compromising a gate."

"So what are you saying?" I asked her, my voice shaking.

"We must pray to God that he doesn't decide he wants in. And that if he does, our men are strong enough to keep him out."

"When did you learn all of this?" I asked her.

"Early this morning. No one knows, not yet." She sighed heavily. "Kane was Emerald's husband. He's dead now."

I felt my eyes well up with tears at my mothers words. I could only imagine what my sister would be feeling. She was nearly three months pregnant now.

"Does she know?" I asked.

She sighed heavily. "Yes. I told her earlier."

I could see the strain on her entire body. For once she looked her age.

"Just when everything was really starting to go well." She began, her voice frustrated. "This. Always something!"

"We'll get through it." I assured her. I was trying to assure myself too. All of the information she had just told me had shaken me to my core. The thought of someone coming and taking our city was too much to bear.

Suddenly, one of the handmaidens opened the door to the balcony.

"My Queen, my Princess!" She exclaimed urgently. "You are needed in the throne room immediately."

"What's happening?" I asked her.

"Axel Graves is outside the city. He has brought his army and the bodies of the Generals. He's demanding an audience with the Royal family."

* * *

The book Sapphire reads from is:

Jack Kerouac - On the Road

Thank you very much for reading my story, please leave me a review!


	16. Chapter 16: Axel Graves

A/N: Here is chapter Sixteen! Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

Thank you to all my reviewers since my last update, 'Grimjaww','Usedmemories','Radio Free Death','FrostSapphire' and 'DieselCrane'.

* * *

Chapter 16: Axel Graves

My mother and I looked at each other urgently, shock apparent on both of our faces. After gathering ourselves, we both stood.

"Very well." My mother answered. "Come, Sapphire."

I followed my mother out of the house and to the throne room. When we arrived, I met eyes with Max. He was already seated with the rest of the Deathlords and my brothers. He looked at me tensely, and nodded to me once. I followed after my mother, and took a seat directly next to her. Alexandrite sat to my right, with Pearl next to her. Ruby and Emerald were absent.

We sat in tense silence for a long time before the doors opened and a man waltzed into the room.

I would've called him handsome, had I not known what a devil he was. He walked into the room with the ease of a man who has few worries or cares in the world. His eyes glinted as he walked in, full of life and drive. He was in his late thirties, most likely. He had dark hair that was only beginning to become peppered, dark eyes, and five o'clock shadow covering his face. But his smirk, his strut as he walked. Everything about him radiated confidence. As his eager eyes scanned over the present family I could not help but to feel as though I was looking at a snake.

"Quite a family you've got here." He stated as he walked in, his eyes flitting over me and my sisters quickly. His voice was deep and smooth, yet cold like ice.

"What right do you think you have?" My father growled in response, his own voice proud and dominant in comparison to the gentle water ripples of Graves'. "To ride up to this city, the heads of our generals displayed like trophy animals, and demand my audience?"

"Oh, you're right." He replied. "How rude of me. My name is Axel Graves. And my having five-thousand men ready to die at my command is what gives me my right."

Silence permeated the room.

"Why did you come here?" My father demanded.

Axel Graves paced back and forth across the throne room as he spoke.

"There are some things that you have, and I want them. You see, after I finished ravaging what was left of Asia, I decided I needed a new place to test my skills. But, when I heard about your little operation, I couldn't help but to feel an uncontrollable urge to settle down somewhere, establish a sort of 'home base', if you will. And I think that your city would be just perfect for what I'm trying to accomplish here."

My father stroked his beard but didn't speak. Graves finished pacing, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Step aside, old man. Make this easier for everyone."

"You think I would roll over to the likes of you?" The King questioned him.

"I thought you might say that." Graves replied with a grin. "And honestly, I don't want to waste any of my men's blood unnecessarily. So here is my offer to you. You give me half of your resources. Half of your food, half of your gasoline, and as much water as is needed to me and my men. Additionally-"

He suddenly cast his eyes in mine and my sister's direction.

"I hear that your daughters bear healthy children. I will take one with me as well."

"You call that an offer?" My father asked him. "That's a robbery."

Graves ignored him and continued talking. He pointed a finger at me. "Her. She's the one I want." My heart skipped a beat and I gripped my chair. "Sapphire, isn't it? The golden girl of the city. Your name has spread far. I heard about you when I raided the Outpost."

No.

I noticed suddenly that all eyes were on me. My breath became shallow and I felt nervous perspiration gather on my back.

"What do you say?" Graves asked me. He walked toward me, and stopped just in front of me, at the step before my throne. He extended his hand to me as he gave his offer. "Stop playing Princess. Ride with me, and I will make you a Queen."

"My loyalty is to my husband, and no other." I stated firmly.

I saw Graves' mouth and eyes tighten with irritation and he revoked his hand from me. He looked as though he would speak more, but he became distracted by motion on the other side of the room.

I heard the sound of a man standing, and a gun being pulled. My eyes flew over and I saw Max standing, gun drawn and pointed at Graves.

"You have thirty seconds to leave this room before I blow your fucking brains out."

Max. It was Max that had his gun drawn, it was his voice speaking.

Graves took a step back, clearly surprised by this sudden shift of hostility.

"That would be my husband." I stated to Graves with a satisfied smirk.

"If you kill me my men will swarm this city." Graves stated.

"If I'm not mistaken, I believe we are refusing your offer." Max looked over at the King who nodded in agreement. He pulled the hammer back on his gun. "In which case, they will swarm the city anyway within a matter of days. Twenty seconds."

Graves hissed in frustration and turned his eyes to my father. "This is the only offer I will extend." Graves told the King. "If you refuse me, I will return and I will take this city by force."

The King did not speak, only looked over to Max who spoke for him. Max's finger slid onto the trigger of the gun. "Ten seconds." Max answered.

Graves scowled, clearly frustrated, but turned regardless and stormed out of the throne room.

I released a shaky breath that I didn't realize I had been holding. My eyes immediately flew to my father. Everyone had eyes on my father.

"Prepare the city." He stated. "Barricade the bridge, the streets. Call all the men, tell them to prepare for battle."

* * *

I stood alone on the balcony of my home, looking down upon the city. Max was away, locked in a war council with my father, brothers, and the other Deathlords. From the city, I heard the sounds of many voices as they prepared for the imminent attack. They mixed in with the tumultuous rush of water pouring from the walls of the caves, the crackling of fires burning in braziers, and the churning of great fans. It formed a continuous, steady sound. The heartbeat of the city. Surely there was no one great enough the stomp out this city's spirit?

I had never felt so incredibly powerless. No matter what happened, in just a few days the devil would be at our door, and everyone subjected to his mercy.

I heard the door to my home open and close, and I turned my head to see Max enter the home. I smiled a soft, sad smile at the sight of him. My heart ached as I did. How much time did we have left together? Would we survive this attack and be together for years? Or should I start counting how many times he came through the door? When would the last time be?

He stood at the door a moment and my eyes met his familiar steel visage. I tried to hold his gaze, but despite myself I broke away from it. My eyes turned to the stone bannister and to my hands there. They gripped the stone until my knuckles turned white and my fingers began to ache. I heard the familiar, heavy footfalls of my husband's boots, until they stopped right behind me. His hands joined mine, and his fingers gently pulled mine from the bannister. As they did, I entwined my fingers in his and took a step backward to press against him. He wrapped his arms around me, and rested his chin on my head. I felt so safe here, in his arms. I knew now that there was no one else better to protect both my heart and my body.

"Are you afraid?" I heard him ask me. His voice did not waver or cower, did not diminish with the coming shadow of war. He still sounded as sure and as strong as the night I had first spoken to him. I wondered briefly if it was all an act for me. If he really was afraid, but he kept his voice strong because he knew that I needed him to be strong.

The question reminded me of a similar question he had asked so long ago. I thought of the first night, when I had seen his tattoo and been very afraid. It was ironic that now his arms were where I felt the safest.

"Yes." I answered quietly. My own voice was not as strong. I could hear the ripples of fear in it that had been radiating throughout my body.

He did not answer, for there was nothing to say. How could he tell me not to be afraid?

As he held me, I suddenly felt in me the desire to make it known to him everything that I loved about him. To erase any doubts that I knew he still harbored. I turned in his arms, and looked up into his face. I met his steel eyes, and raised my fingertips to touch his face.

"I wish I knew the words to tell you how I feel." I began. "The ones I know sound silly to me, even as I speak them. But you need to know, Max. You need to know what you have done.

"I was so naïve, before you. I was sheltered in this place. Knowing you has finally allowed me to see everything. And I realize now that without all of the bad things you can never truly appreciate what the good is. Now that I have seen cruelty, I know kindness. Now that I have felt sadness I can feel joy. I have felt the thin line between what it means to hate, and what it means to love. And feeling true fear has allowed me to realize what it means to trust. Without you I would have never made love, or felt the rain, or gone outside and seen the desert and the sun and the stars. And now that I know all of these feelings, and have seen all of these things, I can say with confidence that the single greatest thing that I have ever done is to love you. And the greatest thing ever done unto me, has been to have you love me back."

When I finished speaking, his eyes held mine intensely, and he offered no response. But I didn't need words from him. I saw the glimmer in his eyes, and saw the mixture of happiness and sadness there. I believe in that moment he finally realized that I had given my life to him as strongly as he had given his to me. But in his eyes I also saw reflected a life of endless tragedy, and I knew that he must be wondering how many more breaths I would take in his presence before we would be separated forever.

"You have shown me that there is a reason to keep living." He finally said to me.

"And you have shown me what it means to be alive." I whispered back.

He gave me a smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth before he pulled me toward him and gently kissed my forehead.

"I'm so afraid." I finally whispered out. He wrapped his arms around me and held me against him as I buried my head in his chest.

"I am too, love." He echoed.

"I don't want to live the rest of my life without you." I told him, my words becoming rushed. "I can't bear the thought living on after you've gone, clinging to memories until they're all turned to ash and you become nothing but a phantom."

"Now you understand." He answered me quietly. "That fear has lived in me since the moment I first kissed you."

At his words, I lost what little control I had on my emotions. My tears fell freely down my face, and as they did he shushed me quietly and wiped my tears away from my face.

"Don't cry." He told me quietly. "We are not dead yet."

A small smile broke through my tears at his words, an echo of the words of comfort I had spoken to him long ago.

"No." I finally answered after my tears had ceased to fall. "Not yet."

He leaned down and kissed me, and as soon as he did I wrapped my arms around his neck. I kissed him longer than I had ever kissed him, and loved him more in that moment and all the moments after it that night than I had ever loved him before.

* * *

A/N: Thank you very much, please leave a review.


	17. Chapter 17: The Battle, Part One

A/N: Thank you so much for reading and for my great reviewer responses to the last chapter. Definitely helped with my motivation.

Thanks to my reviewers, 'GrimJaww', 'ozlady80', 'Cotton Strings', 'Frances357', 'FrostSapphire', 'Usedmemories', 'witchbaby300', 'Lanariel Greenleaf', 'beachchick3', and my guest reviewer.

Thanks to you guys, I am nearly at 100 reviews for this story. Keep 'em coming!

And I want to give a special thank you as well the my reviewers that review every chapter or almost every chapter (you know who you are). It means so much, and I definitely look for your responses to each chapter that I post.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 17: The Battle, Part One

I twirled her hair in my fingers and stared at the door to our bedroom. My heart pounded in anticipation. I knew it couldn't be long now.

Sapphire lay in my arms, her head pressed against my chest. Her fingers traced over my chest and abdomen, following the scars that crisscrossed my body. She nearly jumped out of her skin when we finally heard the banging on the front door.

I glanced over at the clock, it was not yet 4am.

I pulled the sheets off of myself and stood from the bed. I found a pair of pants to slip on, and I walked to the front door. When I opened it and saw an emissary of the King, I was not surprised.

"General! Axel Graves' forces have been spotted outside of the city. You are to report to the King immediately for orders."

I nodded to him, and shut the door. When I walked back into the bedroom, Sapphire stood wrapped in white sheets with tears glistening in her eyes.

"Please." She whispered to me. "Please don't go."

I felt my throat begin to choke up at her words. I knew she was afraid. But I had to do what I had to do. I knew she understood, but it was her fear making her speak now. She knew as well as I did that I was the best chance this city had at surviving. But she also knew that the odds were not on our side, and that Graves liked to target Generals.

I walked to her and pulled her into my chest. I held her small, trembling body against me and exhaled heavily. The last thing I wanted was to be away from her right now, when she so clearly needed me here. But if I didn't stop Graves, then who would?

"I love you." I told her. "You know that, right? I love you very much, Sapphire."

She nodded her head at my words, but gave me no response.

"Hey." I called to her. I lifted her chin with my fingertip and forced her to meet my eyes again. "If the city falls-"

"Don't say that-" She immediately exclaimed.

"If the city falls," I continued. "Stay alive. Just stay alive, somewhere, somehow. I will come back for you. Do you understand? I will come back."

She nodded again.

"Tell me you understand."

"I understand." Her voice was hardly more than a whisper.

I held her face in my hands and I gently stroked along cheek with my thumb. "Just like I promised. Ok? I will come back."

She nodded again, and I kissed her. After, I let her go and I dressed for war.

When I stood at the door, prepared to leave, Sapphire called out to me one last time.

"Max, wait!" She called to me.

I stopped and turned to look at her. She rushed toward me, and threw her arms around me.

"I love you." She told me as she held me. "Please don't make me live without you."

"I won't." I promised her. I kissed her one last time, before I turned and left our home.

As I walked down the hall, I wondered if I had just listened to the last words I would ever hear from her lips.

* * *

The beginnings of sunrise were beginning to peak over the horizon as I looked out at the massive horde riding toward the city. There hadn't been time to call for help. We would have to do this alone.

"We rigged the ground?" I asked Marcus next to me.

Mathias, Marcus, and myself. We were all that was left of the Deathlords. Marcus and I led the external defense, while Mathias waited inside with Tyrus and Colt, ready for a breach.

He nodded in response. "It will take out the first few lines."

We all waited at the canyon and watched anxiously with binoculars as the army rode closer.

Our plan was dependent on the fact that they would need to file through one car at a time in order to get to the city gates. The path leading to the entrance of the city was rather narrow, but opened up slightly after the canyon entrance. By forcing the horde to narrow down, the hope was that we could use all of our firepower to kill them as they piled up at the entrance.

If this didn't work, we would have to fight from within the city.

The cars tore across the desert, and as the first ones reached the landmines it seemed as though hell had come to earth for two minutes.

The entire skyline lit up as the mines exploded on contact. The cars exploded to pieces, and the shards landed on other mines, which then caused a rippling effect.

I felt the ground shake as the mines went off, and when they finally stopped it was a moment of complete silence.

And then I heard the roar of the engines, as the cars began to weave forward through their fallen comrades.

"Do you think we got Greaves?" I asked Marcus.

He shrugged. "He's enough of an asshole to insist on riding first. But I don't think he would have lasted this long if he was that much of an idiot. We'll act on the premise that he made it."

I nodded in agreement, and I lifted my binoculars to look at the oncoming line of cars. The blast had taken a chunk out of the front center, but the rest of the cars now filled the space and moved forward more carefully.

As they moved forward, we took aim. And as we took aim, I noticed something in my scope.

A large war rig was tearing across the desert towing explosives. A lot of explosives. And behind that truck were two more like it, riding in a straight line ahead of the army, escorted by a team of cars. The cars were forming a protective ring around the trucks, making it impossible to make a shot at the explosives from this distance.

I dropped the scope from my face and immediately turned to Marcus.

"He means to blow the entrance to the Canyon open." I stated. "He has enough explosives there to blow half of this mountain apart."

Marcus saw the same in his scope.

"Goddamnit." He hadn't anticipated this.

"We have to destroy them before they get here." Marcus answered.

We looked at each other, and understood immediately what had to be done. We were going to have to drive on this one.

"Get the cars and the drivers ready." I ordered to the men behind me.

* * *

I sat in my war car and gripped the wheel as I prepared to drive straight toward an army of five thousand men with only a hundred at my back.

Just outside the window, a man was waiting for my orders.

"Hold the doors to the city for as long as possible." I told him. "Seal the canyon after we leave."

"How will you return if we seal the Canyon?" He asked.

"We'll figure that out once we stop them. If we don't stop those trucks it won't matter either way."

He nodded, and as he backed away I turned the key in the car, and the engine ignited underneath me. At this signal, I heard the dozens of cars behind me come to life.

I tore out of the Canyon toward the cars, and behind me our army followed. It wasn't long after that I heard the rippling boom of the charges we had set. In the rearview mirror, I saw the entrance close in.

I raced across the desert toward the first truck, and Marcus and his squad raced past me toward the second. The last truck was being handled by a captain and his squad.

"Drive." I ordered the man in the passenger seat beside me. We switched places, and he barreled towards the truck. I climbed out of the window of the car and onto the roof, and balanced carefully on top as we neared the truck. I used a high-powered rifle to strategically kill drivers and send cars barreling into each other. I opened a hole in their defenses, and my car raced toward the opportunity.

When we got close, I yelled down to the driver to bring me parallel with the truck. No sooner had we pulled alongside of the truck than I heard bullets colliding with my own car and whizzing past me.

I cursed and looked for the direction of the gunfire, and saw another car firing at me. I was about to take aim, when one of my own cars got in between and began to engage.

With the enemy distracted, I balanced as carefully as I could on top of the car before I leaped.

I grabbed ahold of the netting holding the explosives down, and carefully climbed on top of the cargo. Around me, my enemies didn't dare fire a shot and risk setting off the explosives prematurely.

I worked my way towards the cab of the truck, and as I reached for the door I was forced away quickly as a man fired a shot gun in the direction of my hand. He fired again through the ceiling, and as I moved to avoid the shot the driver simultaneously hit a bump in the road.

I lost my balance and fell forward, down over the windshield. I saved myself from going under the car by clinging desperately to the front grate of the truck with one hand, and a decorative hood ornament with the other. I felt my boots brush along the ground as I pulled myself up, and I couldn't help the sling of curses that flew from my lips. I heard the windshield shatter as another shotgun round went off, and I shrank my hand from the hood to avoid being hit.

Frustrated, but not yet defeated, I began to scale the side of the truck cab carefully. When I caught sight of the armed passenger, I reached for my own gun. I held him in my crosshairs and pulled the trigger. The man slumped over, leaving only the driver of the vehicle for me to deal with.

I yanked the passenger door open and climbed into the truck. The driver reached for his own gun and fired two shots before I wrestled the weapon from him. I didn't bother with my gun at this close range, I snapped his neck.

With both men dead, I commandeered the vehicle. It would be enough to set it dramatically off course, but we had a different Idea.

I turned the truck around, and headed it straight towards Graves' army. I placed the body of the driver on the gas pedal, and locked the steering wheel in place. When I opened the drivers side door, my car was waiting. I would destroy the explosives on the truck when it had reached Graves' army

I leaped and landed on top of the car. When I had made my way back inside of the vehicle, I assessed the situation again.

Marcus' truck was also barreling toward Graves' own army. But the third truck was moving forward uninhibited, with a string of Stone City cars scattered in its wake.

I cursed aloud at the sight, and instructed my driver to move on the vehicle. I saw Marcus' war party making the same decision. With him, perhaps we could stop the truck.

As we grew closer, more of Graves' cars began to swarm the truck. I began to open fire on them, and around me the rest of our group did the same. We got closer, and again I climbed out of the window and prepared to make the leap. Before I could jump, we were suddenly rushed by an enemy car. The car collided with our own and nearly sent me flying underneath of the racing truck. I avoided the ground by clinging to the door of my own car. When I climbed back on the hood of my car, I saw clearly who the driver of the other vehicle was.

Axel Graves leered at me before he slammed his car into my own again. I clung desperately to my car, trying to keep from falling underneath of the moving wheels. But I couldn't play this game with Graves, I didn't have time for this. Every second we wasted the truck got closer to the city.

I decided to make the jump from the hood, but as soon as I tried to get onto the truck Graves began firing shots at me. I pulled out my own gun and fired back at him, which gave me a brief break in his assaults, but then behind me the driver of the truck began to fire his gun.

I fired back and managed to hit the driver of the truck. His passenger took over, but did not return my fire.

Marcus pulled up behind myself and Graves, and I saw him lean out of the window of the car and take aim at Graves.

But he never got to fire the shot.

I saw a small grenade fly out of Graves window. I watched in slow motion as it traveled under my vehicle. And then I felt weightlessness when it exploded and launched me and the car skyward.

In the air, I saw Marcus' car collide with my own and spin out of control. It flipped, and before I could see more I landed in the sand.

The collision with the ground sent excruciating pain through my left arm and side. The world around me dimmed slowly, and the last thing I heard was a loud explosion, far off.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 18: The Battle, Part Two

A/N: Thank you so much for reading!

And to my reviewers, thank you for leaving your input behind. One hundred reviews!

Thanks to 'beachchick7', 'jan-rayne', 'Usedmemories', 'Frances357', and my guest reviewer for taking the time to give me feedback.

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 18: The Battle, Part Two

The mountain shook with the force of the explosion.

In the hospital, the lights flickered for a moment before they came back on. I cast my eyes to my mother anxiously.

"What was that?" I asked her urgently.

My mother was walking ahead of me, carrying medical supplies. Her and I had decided not to wait in the palace, but to be in the hospital for as long as possible, helping the effort. I walked right behind her as her shadow.

"I have no idea, Sapphire." She answered me. "But worrying about it won't make it any better. Focus on your task, and what we can make better."

I nodded my head and followed behind her into the West Wing. We were finishing preparations in the hospital. It wouldn't be long before men would be brought in here.

Doctor Stone stood in the middle of all of the chaos, a clipboard in her hands. She barked directions to the nurses scurrying around, and once we had deposited our goods she turned her attention to us.

"Ah! Good!" She exclaimed immediately when she saw what we had brought. "I'm glad to see someone in inventory finally got their act together."

"What should we do now?" My mother asked.

Doctor Stone was about to answer, when suddenly another explosion rocked the mountain, this one much closer, much louder, and much stronger.

I fell to my knees as the force of the explosion shook the very ground we stood on, and around us we were suddenly immersed in darkness. I heard the panicked yelling of staff and patients in the dark, and I had to fight to keep my fear from overwhelming me.

The lights suddenly flickered back on, and I stood to my feet shakily. My mother helped me stand, and as I did I looked to her and Doctor Stone urgently.

"What was that?" I asked. "The Canyon?"

My mother shook her head. "No. That was much closer." She cast her eyes to Doctor Stone, but her face was already hard.

"The gate." Doctor Stone answered.

"The gate?!" I exclaimed back. "No, that can't be right."

Max was protecting the gate. How could they have gotten to the gate if Max was protecting it?

"Send our mobile medical units into the city!" Doctor Stone suddenly ordered to one of the other doctors. "It won't be long now."

Another explosion shook the mountain, and I held on tightly to my mother as it shook the earth. The lights flickered again, and dust fell from the ceiling. It wasn't long before a third explosion rocked the mountain. But this explosion wasn't far off. I heard it, it was across the city.

Then we heard the sirens. Their wailing started low, and then reached a fever pitch.

"The gate is breached." My mother murmured quietly. Her eyes seemed blank, almost as though she couldn't believe it herself. She shook her head quickly, and seemed to wake up. "The fighting will be inside soon."

"Everyone, report to your stations!" Doctor Stone barked. "Keep the lines of communication open!" She turned her attention to my mother and I. "You two, stick with me."

She walked quickly through the rows of beds towards the entrance to the Wing. In the distance, I heard the beginning sounds of gunfire.

We began helping Doctor Stone to co-ordinate the medical efforts of the city. I focused as much as I could on my work, and tried not to think of Max. But it was hard. With the constant sound of gunfire in the distance I was reminded over and over that my husband was somewhere in the middle of it.

I was working for some time when I was surprised by a familiar voice calling my name through the throngs of people.

"Princess Sapphire!"

I froze what I was doing and found the source of the familiar voice.

"Jax!" I answered immediately.

He was dressed for battle, with a gun slung over his back. He had only come out of the hospital days before, I had been the one to process him out. I was happy to see him. I had spent many more hours with him at the hospital before he had left, and he had opened up to me about life at the Citadel. We had become close during my time that I volunteered here. I wove quickly through the throngs of people towards him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Messenger duty." He answered quickly. "But I could ask you the same thing."

"I'm doing what I can to help." I answered.

He shook his head in what seemed to be bemusement before he questioned me further. "Where's Doctor Stone? And your mother?"

"I'll show you." I told him. He followed closely behind me, and eventually we made our way through the people to the Doctor and my mother.

"Doctor Stone, Queen Diamond." He immediately greeted them.

"News?" My mother asked immediately.

"All gates have fallen." He immediately stated. "Graves has taken the bridge and as we speak his men are engaged with Tyrus' forces in the marketplace."

"They're getting closer." My mother replied darkly.

Jax nodded. "If they advance to the City Square I have orders to come back and bring you to the safety of the palace."

"Of course." My mother replied. "Let's hope it does not come to that."

I felt my heart pounding as they talked in front of me, and I couldn't help myself any longer. Max and Marcus were supposed to be at the Gates. Had they been reassigned now? Where were they? I touched Jax's arm gently to get his attention.

"Jax." I stated simply. "Where is Max? He was in charge of the defense of the Gates. Where is he now?"

Jax's face instantly made my heart sink. He wouldn't meet my eyes, and he suddenly fiddled with his hands. I felt tears begin to prick at my eyes.

"Please, tell me." I implored him.

"Princess-" He began. He cut himself off and shook his head.

"Jax." I repeated.

He exhaled heavily, and took a step closer to me before he dropped his voice down low. "Don't make me be the one who tells you." He answered. His reaction to my statements was doing nothing to make me feel better.

"Is he dead?" I asked him, my voice hard.

Next to me, my mother and Doctor Stone were looking at Jax as expectantly as I was. He sighed heavily and ran his hand nervously over his short hair before his face hardened and he spoke again.

"The forces outside the city were completely decimated. As far as we know there were no survivors." He finally stated.

At his words, my whole world fell away. I felt inside me a chill. It started slowly in my chest, and gradually spread through each of my limbs into a complete numbness. Around me, my world grew silent as Jax's words ran on repeat in my mind.

"Max is dead?" I whispered back.

"I'm so sorry Princess." Jax answered.

That couldn't be right. There was no way. Max promised me he would come back. He promised. I became light headed, and I staggered backwards. I felt a pair of hands grab onto me to steady me, and when my vision refocused I was looking into the face of Jax.

"Easy, Princess." He told me as he held me steady. I held onto his arms to keep myself from falling over.

"Sapphire!" My mother's voice cut sharply through my frenzied thoughts. I turned to look at her, but as I did my eyes began to slowly blur with tears.

"Now is not the time to mourn for Max." She told me sternly. "There will come a time for sorrow, but it is not now. The people need you. Soldiers are beginning to pour in here. Max cannot be helped now. These men can."

I blinked the tears out of my eyes and nodded my head numbly. I stood a little straighter, and released my hold from Jax. He seemed more unsure, and held me steady a few moments longer before he finally let me go.

"I know it's hard." My mother told me. "I know. But stay focused. The city must survive."

I continued to nod my head. The city must survive. I tried to force that thought to the front of my mind, to replace the image of Max's limp body alone in the desert.

"I must go." I turned my attention back to Jax, who had just spoken. "I need to keep communication open between the remaining commanders."

The mortality of everyone around me hit me suddenly, and I threw my arms around Jax almost subconsciously.

"Be careful." I told him.

He stiffened as I touched him and did not return the gesture. It occurred to me that I was still his Princess and he had no idea how to react to me. When I released him, he met my eyes again. "I will." He promised.

With that, he turned and vanished into the throng of people.

As he disappeared, my mind ventured back to Max. I still hadn't processed his death. It was not real to me. My entire body felt numb, and in my heart there was a growing . Around me, people passed in a continuous nonsensical blur.

"Sapphire."

My mother's voice shook me out of my trance again.

"Sapphire, come with me. Help me save them." She looked intensely at me as she spoke, and offered her hand to me. I took it, and together we walked toward the sounds of the dying men.

* * *

I felt cool water splashing over my face. It woke me.I took in a gasp of air, and opened my eyes to the sunlight.I lifted a hand to block the sun, the brightness of it was blinding to me.

"Max. Wake up."

I recognized the voice, but it was far off like it was calling to me from the end of some long tunnel.

"Max. Max, wake up. They're inside the city. I need you."

I blinked several times and my vision began to clear, and the voice seemed closer now. I felt water splash my face again, and as it did the world rushed back to me quickly.

I was in pain. So much pain. My entire left side felt like it was on fire. I coughed, and the pain intensified. But I needed to cough. There was sand and blood in my lungs. I managed to roll over on my right side and spit the blood out of my mouth.

"There ya go."

I recognized the voice now.

"Marcus." I barely managed to mumble out.

I saw his shadow as he stood over me and felt his hands as he began to check me over for injuries.

"What happened?" I asked him.

"Graves threw some sort of grenade under your car. You went flying, and I wrecked my car on yours." Marcus answered. "Your shoulder is dislocated. I'm putting it back now."

That was all the warning he gave me before he popped my left shoulder back into its socket. I screamed as he replaced my shoulder.

"Sorry." He muttered after.

"The City?" I asked after I had caught my breath again.

"He's made it through the gates. Max, you're hurt badly. You have several broken ribs on your left side, and from the way your wrist is swelling I think it might be broken. Can you stand?"

I felt the pain coursing down my side, and I rolled onto my back before I attempted to stand. I offered my uninjured arm to Marcus, and he yanked me quickly to my feet.

I nearly fell over, but Marcus caught me and steadied me before I could fall. I steadied myself for several moments before Marcus released me. He handed me a bottle of water, which I quickly downed. When I finished it, I turned to face the city.

All around me there was only devastation. The remnants of my own war party, vehicle parts from the mine explosion. The canyon was blown open and there was smoke streaming from where the entrance to the city was.

Sapphire. Sapphire was inside of the city. I had to get to her.

"Sapphire." Was the only word I could manage. It sounded broken coming from my mouth. I was still trying to gain some coherency from when I had passed out. I immediately took several staggering steps in the direction of the city but fell down on my knees before I could make it very far.

"I know." Marcus stated. "Ruby is in there too, with my son. We have to go back."

I immediately nodded my assent to his statement.

"I need you, Max. Together we can get them out. Can you handle this?" Marcus asked.

The longer I looked at the city, the more rage I began to feel. My wife was there. I had failed her. I had failed the city. I needed to get her before it was too late. The anger began to numb the pain I felt in my side, and I eventually nodded my head.

"Yes." I growled out.

"Good." Marcus answered with a satisfied smirk.

"Is there anyone else?" I asked. "Did anyone else survive this?"

Marcus was silent for a long while before he spoke. "No. Not that I know of."

So it was just the two of us then. I stood to my feet once more, this time on my own. "We don't have much time." I told him. "Let's find a car that runs."

* * *

Thank you! Please remember to review!

I do have Play-By's that I use while writing for some inspiration if you all are curious.

May: Charlotte Rampling

Doctor Stone: Zoe Saldana

Jax: Stephen Amell

Axel Graves: Jason Momoa


	19. Chapter 19: The Execution

A/N: I am sorry in advance for this chapter. And for all of the chapters after it.

The title says it all. (Trigger warning: Violence and death)

This chapter might be too intense (violent) for sensitive readers, as there is an execution in the chapter. It is not particularly graphic, but it is a hard scene. There will be a warning before the potentially offensive material appears. Scroll to the next line break (the end of the chapter) if you are concerned about the material. I will catch you up on what you missed in the end authors note.

This is a Mad Max novel, and I don't think what appears is much worse, if at all worse, than anything that has happened in the movies. But, just in case.

* * *

Chapter 19: The Execution

I draped the white sheet carefully over the man in front of me. He had made it to the hospital, but not in time. A nurse wheeled his bed away, and shortly after May came with another man. She had been working nonstop for hours with Doctor Stone and I. My mother was a few beds away with another surgeon.

The man in front of us now was whimpering and clutching his leg. It appeared he had been shot. "May, I'm going to need blood for him." Doctor Stone stated as soon as she looked at the man. May nodded quickly and hurried away to fetch the blood.

"Strap him down, I need to take the bullet out. It's shallow. No anesthesia." Doctor Stone ordered me after she had assessed his body.

I nodded, and began to put the straps on the man. He didn't fight me. He didn't want to lose his leg. I gave him a rag to bite down on, and asked him if he was ready. He nodded.

"Would you like me to hold your hand?" I asked him. It was the only thing else I could really do for him at that point.

He nodded his head. I expected him to. Most of the soldiers had said yes when I asked.

I took his hand in mine and nodded to Doctor Stone. I turned away from her, but held tightly to his hand. I could see the fear in his eyes before he shut them. The procedure was very quick. He was brave. He did his best to hold still, and he barely made a sound.

While Doctor Stone was patching him up May returned with the bag of blood. I began to add it to his IV, and as did I spoke with him.

"The worst part is behind you." I told him. "All you have to focus on now is getting better."

"My best mate died out there." He muttered back. "I just want to know that it was worth it."

I thought of Max, and instantly I felt my heart break. "It will be." I told him. "It has to."

I finished his IV, and as soon as I had another nurse appeared. She took the man away, and I waited for the next one to come. As I waited, I noticed Doctor Stone's eyes trained on me. I lifted my eyes to meet hers, and as soon as they did she spoke to me.

"Are you alright?" She asked me.

I nodded.

"Sapphire- You've been through a lot. You can take a break." She told me.

"They don't get to take a break." I answered immediately. I cast my eyes on the soldiers around me as I spoke. "They're out there dying right now to protect us."

"Sapphire." She repeated. "You're not a doctor. This is a lot. You've been through a lot. No one would blame you if you needed a minute."

"Why would I take a minute?" I asked her sharply. "So I can think about if my husband died quickly or if he suffered? So I can go over a million times in my head all of the things I had wished I said?" I exhaled heavily before I continued. "If I stop, I will think. And if I think, then I will feel it. Right now, I'm just numb. It's not real. These men are real, and I can help them. And helping them keeps me from not thinking of him."

She nodded her head slowly. "Alright." She answered. There was another silence between us before she spoke again.

"You are so much more than I thought you were." She told me suddenly. "Before you came here, I didn't think very much of your family, or of you. But I can see you care about these people. And I am sorry I judged you."

I blinked quickly, quite shocked. "Thank you." I finally answered. She nodded, and suddenly her eyes were cast behind me. I turned, and I saw Jax standing just behind me. He looked completely filthy, and there was blood strewn across his chest and smeared across his face.

"Jax." I immediately greeted him. I walked up to him and took with me a clean cloth. "You have blood on your face."

He looked at me in surprise before he lifted his hand to his face and felt it there.

"Are you hurt?" I asked him.

"No." He answered as he looked at the blood now on his fingertips. "It must be someone else's."

I nodded and took another step toward him handing the cloth to him as I did. "Is everything alright?" I asked.

"You have to leave now." He told me. "Come with me."

"What's happened?" I asked him urgently.

He closed the gap between us and talked low to me. "The City is lost. Grave's troops have taken over most of the Upper City and have begun to invade the Lower City. Your father intends to surrender. You must come with me to the palace now. If you stay here you'll be at the mercy of his men. Go get your mother."

I didn't respond, I didn't even nod. I just turned and walked towards my mother. I grabbed hold of her arm, and as soon as she saw Jax standing beside me she understood. She joined me with Jax, and together we headed toward the exit. I stopped only for Doctor Stone and May.

"Is it time?" Doctor Stone asked me.

"Yes." I answered back. "I think it is Doctor." We looked at each other for a moment, before I walked forward and embraced the woman. When we pulled away I spoke to her. "Thank you. For everything you have done for me." I told her.

She nodded tensely.

"If I never see you again, I want you to know that I think you're a brilliant doctor." I told her. She smiled at me gently, and I could have sworn I saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes.

"I am grateful to have known you." She replied to me. "I think you and I both understood that this City stood for something more."

I nodded in agreement with her. Next to her, I turned to May. I hugged the old woman quickly, and as I did she only spoke one word in my ear.

"Survive." She said to me.

My mother touched my back, and I turned to look at her. "We have to go." She told me.

I nodded to her, and looked at my friends one last time before I walked away.

We walked through the hospital quickly, and when we made it outside I could hear how bad things were. Screams intermingled with gunfire and formed a gruesome symphony. I stuck close to Jax, and he began to lead us through the City. Under his guidance, we avoided streets with heavy fighting and made a beeline for the Palace. We entered through a side door meant for servants, and began to make our way back into our home.

"The rest of your sisters are in the Queen's Quarters." Jax told us as he led us through the corridors.

"Very well." My mother answered solemnly.

Jax halted in his steps and turned to face us. His eyes found mine quickly, and I was surprised by the intensity in his eyes.

"I hate this." He said. "I'm leading you straight into the fire."

"What else can you do?" I said to him. "There's no escaping the City now."

"I know." He replied. "But this is wrong. I'm practically handing you to him."

"Jax-" I began.

He cut me off abruptly. "Do you know what happens when a city gets sacked?"

I was shocked at his words.

"You'd speak to your Princess like that?" My mother exclaimed.

"On account that we're about to surrender, I'd say she's not really my 'Princess' anymore." Jax replied quickly to my mother. "Now, she's just my friend."

"Jax." I answered. I reached forward and took his hand in mine. "It's ok."

He shook his head. "It's not ok, it'll never be ok. I swear if I knew a way to get you out of here I would."

"There isn't a way." I told him. "We lost. It's over. And if we're in here we're at Graves' mercy, and not his men. Please."

Jax exhaled heavily. "He is a monster, Sapphire. I saw him today. His 'mercy' isn't mercy."

"It's all we have now." I told him.

He finally seemed to consent, and led us begrudgingly toward the Queen's Suite. When we arrived at the door, the man standing guard there let us in. My mother went first, but I lingered back to talk to Jax.

"Where will you go?" I asked him.

"If he doesn't kill us after the surrender, I will go back to the hospital. See if I can get Doctor Stone and May to safety."

I nodded in understanding.

Jax turned as though he was going to walk away, but stopped and seemed to think better of it suddenly. He turned around quickly, and walked back up to me.

"I'll try to get you out. After. If I'm alive." He told me. "Take you to the Citadel or something."

"I need to stay with my family." I told him.

"Then I'll take all of them." He answered immediately.

"Jax-"

He shook his head. "I won't leave you to him."

I walked toward him and hugged him for the second time that day, but this time he returned the gesture. He held me for several moments before he eventually released me.

"You're a good man, Jax." I told him. "And a good friend."

"It feels like you're saying goodbye to me." He replied.

"I am." I answered.

He didn't say anything, but I could tell by the look on his face that he was unhappy. It surprised me how close I had grown to him in such a short time frame. But it appeared he had also grown close to me. He gave me one final nod before he turned and walked away from me. I watched him until he vanished around the corner. And then I turned and walked into the room with my sisters.

Immediately, Pearl ran up to me and threw her arms around my waist. I hugged her back and stroked her hair as soothingly as I could. "It's gonna be ok." I told her.

I looked to my mother. She was standing in the center of the room, and all eyes were on her. I realized we all expected her to say something. She always knew just what to say. She took a deep, rigid breath in and wiped away a tear that had suddenly escaped from her eyes.

"Well girls." She began. "I suppose this is the end. I want to tell you that we're going to make it out of this alright. I want to tell you that he's going to let us go. But I think we all know better than that. I am infinitely proud of you girls, and I wish more than anything that you could have known a life before all of this. Before war, greed, and pride destroyed everything that this world was. I wanted so much more than for you to be at the mercy of some warlord. The only words I can offer you now are these; Live now for each other. For the family. Life as we know it is forever changed."

With that, she sat down silently in a chair. In my arms, I began to feel Pearl shake with tears.

* * *

I was sitting on the couch with Pearl's head in my lap when there was a knock at the door. Two men entered into the room abruptly. Immediately, I knew they were not ours. They both wore all black with a red band on their arm.

"Ladies." One of them stated to us. "Axel Graves would like your company in the throne room." His hand rested comfortably on the gun holstered at his side. "Now, please."

We stood, and as we did they suddenly spoke again. "Hold up. Not the one with the baby, and not the kid." They stated, referring to Ruby and Caleb.

My mother nodded to Caleb, and he ran over to cling to Ruby. The rest of us filed out and followed behind the unfamiliar men.

When we arrived in the throne room, it was not my father seated on the throne. Axel Graves sat smugly on the seat, and before him my father kneeled alongside my two brothers. Behind them, all of my father's male bastards were kneeling as well. The female bastards were nowhere to be seen.

We stood along the side of the room, and only once the doors were shut and locked did Graves speak.

"Ladies. I'm so glad you could join us." Graves began. He stood up quickly from his throne, and waltzed over to stand in front of us.

"I know this change is sudden, and abrupt. But I want you to know that you are all important to me, and to this city."

"Go to hell." My mother spat at him.

Graves smirked, but didn't pay her any mind. He walked forward and stood in front of me, an as soon as he did my eyes dropped down to the ground.

"Oh, no. That won't do." He told me. "You have such beautiful eyes." I felt his finger on my chin, and I nearly leaped out of my skin as he touched me. He lifted my face so that I had to meet eyes with him, and as I did I felt chills run down my spine.

His eyes contained no sadness, no remorse. There was no trace of kindness in them. They were hard, cruel eyes. Nothing like looking into my husbands eyes.

When Graves spoke again, his voice was low and spoken only for me.

"You once told me you were only loyal to your husband. I killed him."

At his words, my eyes immediately began to fill with tears. I fought hard to hold them back, not wanting to show any weakness, but standing here before the man who had killed my husband was too much. A tear fell from my eye and rolled down my cheek slowly.

"So now I ask you," He paused and raised a scarred, bloodied hand to wipe the tear from my face. He didn't move his fingers from me, rather he traced them down my jaw to my neck. I gasped aloud and shivered as he touched the sensitive skin there and I saw him smirk as I did. He held a strand of my hair in his hand for a moment before he pushed my hair over my shoulder. I felt his fingers brush along my collarbone, and saw his eyes travel over the skin of my neck once more before they flitted back to my eyes.

"Who are you loyal to?" He asked me quietly.

I stood trembling, terrified, and at his mercy. I suddenly found myself back in the hospital, with May's voice in my ears.

 _Survive_.

I took a deep breath and let her words resonate in me. "Only to you." I finally stated.

The victorious grin on his face was enough to make me feel sick. He took a step toward me and gently kissed my forehead.

"Good girl." He told me. He backed away from me, satisfied, and turned his attention to my father and brothers. As he did, I cast my own eyes to my mother. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and I wanted to tell her that I was sorry for what I said. As we met eyes, she nodded quickly to me, and I knew that she understood why I had done it.

She had been here before. Except it was my father and not Axel Graves. I wondered if my father was cruel back then, like Graves. I wondered what she must have gone through in order to overcome this. She had been alone. At least I still had my family.

* * *

(Trigger warning: Sensitive subject matter, violence.)

* * *

I was jerked out of my thoughts when Graves spoke again.

"King Agustus." Graves stated boldly as he stood before my father. "Or, Augustus as it would be since you've been dethroned. I recall standing where you're now kneeling and asking for you to surrender. I even offered you a deal. I would've ridden off into the sunset if not for your arrogance." Graves suddenly removed his gun from its holster and held it casually in his hand.

"Such a waste of life." He continued as he paced in front of my father and brothers. "To think that we could have been in the same exact situation that we are now, but with no casualties. You chose that. You failed your people."

"You chose it!" My father snapped back. "It's your greed that destroys this place. Your arrogance that made you want to take it! You would've destroyed us no matter what I had chosen."

Graves smirked. "If your conscience spews these lies to soothe your guilt, that is not my problem. Regardless of the circumstances, this city is mine now. I've won. And despite your surrender, I can't take any chances." Graves nodded to his men, and as he did soldiers stepped up behind my half-brothers with their guns raised and pointed at their heads.

"No!" The words came out of my mouth involuntarily, and I covered my mouth in shock. Next to me, Pearl suddenly clung to my side and began to cry.

"Are you completely mad?!" My father screamed at him. "You've won! Isn't that enough?!"

"My victory will not be complete until you truly understand the depth of your failure, Agustus." Graves replied smoothly. "With the destruction of your line I will secure my place here. And," He cast his eyes to myself, my mother, and my sisters. " _everyone_ will understand what happens to those that stand in my way."

"Cover your ears, Pearl." I whispered to my sister. She buried her head against my body and covered her ears.

Graves raised his hand, and as he did I squeezed my eyes shut. The shots were fired at the same time, and I nearly leaped out of my skin as they were. I heard the slump as bodies fell to the ground, and when I opened my eyes I deliberately looked away from them. I knelt down and grabbed Pearls face.

"Look at me." I told her. "Only me. It's going to be ok."

She nodded frantically and kept her ears plugged. Next to me, Emerald and Alexandrite hugged each other and sobbed quietly. My mother was completely still, her eyes fixated on the ground. A tear didn't fall, and she didn't shake. She seemed to be lost in the stone floor.

"Goddmanit Graves!" My father yelled at him. "That's enough!"

"Not yet." Graves answered. He moved to stand in front of Colt, and raised his own weapon. As soon as he did I locked eyes with Pearl again.

"Just look at me, Pearl." I told her. "Look at me and keep your hands over your ears."

She nodded, and another gunshot rang out.

As Colt's body fell to the floor, I heard my father began to talk frantically.

"Do you want me to beg? Is that it?" He asked Graves.

"Did the people you killed here beg for their lives?" Graves asked my father. "When you slaughtered them in their sleep to secure your position?"

"How do you know about that?" My father asked urgently.

"Did you think that because it was so long ago everyone had forgotten? The Outpost was filled with all manner of people. Many who were more than prepared to see your city fall. People who had survived your onslaught, people who had watched their families killed. Very similar, actually, to what you're witnessing here today."

"Is that what this is about?" My father answered back. "Atonement?"

Graves smiled. "In a way. I want you to think of this as justice, Augustus. Your peace, your happiness, even your own family is a consequence of the mass injustice that took place here so many years ago. Now, what kind of man would I be if I allowed this injustice to exist unpunished in my own city?"

Graves raised his gun to Tyrus, and with another gunshot he took my eldest brother's life. As his body fell to the floor, so did my mother next to me. She fell to her knees, and tears finally began to stream down her face. "My boys." Was all I heard her whisper.

Graves now pointed his gun at my father. "Any last words?" He asked him.

My father's body shook and he looked over to us. "My beautiful girls…" He whispered quietly, his voice cracking as he did. "I'm so sorry."

With that, there was a last gunshot, and the only sounds in the room were my sisters and mothers sobs. I was too shocked to react at all.

"Get them out of here." Graves finally said after a long, quiet moment. He gestured to my mother, sisters, and myself, and we were escorted out of the throne room.

* * *

A/N: If you chose to avoid the violent scene, then what you need to know is that all of the men in Sapphire's family (her half brothers, Tyrus, Colt, and her father) were executed by Graves.

Please leave a review!


	20. Chapter 20: The Fall

A/N: Thank you all for reading, and thank you for those that reviewed my last chapter. I forgot to thank everyone for chapter 18 as well so I'll thank all of you now.

'Beachchick3', 'James90', 'Grimjaww', and 'DieselCrane', thank you for your reviews. It means a lot to me that you read and give me feedback, I read all of your reviews and definitely take into account what you are saying.

With that said, here's chapter twenty.

* * *

Chapter 20: The Fall

Marcus and I walked through the remnants of the gate into the city, and the sight that we were greeted with nearly brought me to my knees.

So much death. We walked past countless bodies as we walked over the bridge into the city. Still, ahead, I could hear gunfire.

"This was a slaughter." I finally spoke as we crossed the bridge.

"On both sides." Marcus replied. "There's just as many of his men as ours, if not more. It was a waste. One man's ego has destroyed so many lives."

I nodded in agreement, and we picked our way through the city carefully, avoiding areas where there was still fighting and trying to sneak our way up to the palace. We walked past survivors, people trying to pick up pieces of their lives from among the rubble. But my mind was not on them. My gaze did not stray from the stone fortress at the center of the city.

We approached the Palace at last from a side street. On the steps of the Palace I spotted a familiar, albeit lifeless, body. Next to me, Marcus noticed as well.

"Mathias." He stated somberly.

"Surely Augustus has surrendered by now?" I stated.

"He must have." Marcus answered.

We saw the guards at the main entrance, hostile colors on their chest.

"We'll sneak in from the side." Marcus stated.

I nodded in agreement, and we worked away to the side of the palace. We found a servants entrance guarded only by two guards. We dispelled them quickly and quietly, and made our way into the palace.

We snuck carefully through the Palace, and stopped when we overheard two guards walking down the hall.

"He executed of the King and his sons." One of them stated to the other. "Had the Queen and the rest of the daughters locked up for now, until we can calm the city."

As the guards walked past, Marcus and I lunged for both of them. Marcus killed the one he had, and then we turned both of our attention to the man held in my hands.

"Where are the women?" I growled at him.

"Whoa, take it easy!" The man stammered.

"Where?" Marcus growled at him.

"The Queen's quarters! They're locked up in there, alright?" He answered. "Just don't hurt me!"

I nodded before I whipped his head in my hands and he fell dead to the floor.

"Lets go." I told Marcus, and together we headed off toward the Queen's Suite.

* * *

I sat completely still and stared at my hands as my thoughts ran rampant in my mind.

One day. It had only taken one day for Graves to steal so much from my life. My father, brothers, husband, even my whole city had fallen to his hands. How could this have happened? How could so much evil persist in the world?

Everything I had known was a lie. There was no safety. There were no 'good people'. There was no room for morals or honor in this world. The only people that could survive this place were those that were cruel.

I sat and stared at my hands, and as I did my hatred for Axel Graves festered until it began to consume me. I was angry. So angry. I should be sad, but I wasn't. I was furious. I was too weak to save any of them, too weak to do anything but confess my loyalty to the man who had murdered my family and destroyed my city.

I was completely immersed in my thoughts until the sounds of a brief struggle just outside the room reached my ears. I lifted my eyes from my hands to stare at the door in shock as I clearly heard men fighting outside of the door. Around me, my sisters were noticing the same thing.

The fighting suddenly stopped, and I continued to stare at the door in bewilderment. Suddenly, the door began to jump as it was kicked over and over. Finally, it burst open and two men entered the room with their guns raised. They lowered them immediately once they realized it was only us, and as they did I stared at them in complete bewilderment.

Max and Marcus. They were here, alive, in front of us.

Max was alive. And he had come back for me. Just like he had promised.

I stayed rooted to my seat, too shocked to move. Max's eyes darted quickly over the room until they found mine. As soon as they did, I found myself released from my spell and suddenly able to move again.

"Max!" I finally exclaimed as I stood. I rushed over to him and threw my arms around his neck and immediately began to sob. He grimaced initially as I touched him, but soon after wrapped his arms around me. He held me closely against him, and I clung to him desperately as I sought for the feel of his skin against my own. I began to cry as he held me, completely overwhelmed with joy. I couldn't believe he was alive.

"They told me you were dead." I whispered into his chest. "I thought I would never see you again."

He pressed his lips into my hair and whispered back to me. "I made a promise."

I pulled away from him and held his face in my hands, taking in every detail of him before I kissed him. When I pulled away, he stroked my face with his fingers affectionately before he turned his head to the rest of the room.

"We have to go. Now." He stated.

Immediately, the room began to move. My sisters, mother, and Caleb all followed Max and Marcus out of the room.

There were a lot of us to only be protected by two people.

We moved through the palace quickly, the whole time Max held onto my hand as though he was fearful I might suddenly vanish right in front of him.

"We have a car." He told me. "Just outside the gates. It runs. We'll go to the Citadel."

"If we even make it out of the city." This was my mother's voice answering.

"Well, you're more than welcome to stay here and take your chances." Max retaliated quickly. This silenced my mother completely, and we exited the palace shortly after.

As we entered the city, I could hear behind us panicked voices of soldiers.

"They know we're missing." I whispered.

"Let's pick up the pace!" Marcus ordered us.

We followed them through the streets, and suddenly I heard gunfire and felt a bullet whiz past me. No sooner had I noticed the first bullet than I suddenly felt a sharp impact in my shoulder. I cried out as I was hit and behind me I began to hear my sisters scream in fear. Max quickly yanked me out of the gunfire and into an alley.

I clutched at my shoulder as it began to bleed, and immediately Max's eyes darted to my shoulder. I saw the anger fill his eyes as he looked me over, and when he spoke I heard his fury reverberate through his words.

"A clean shot. It went straight through." He told me simply. He pulled a rag from his pocket and pressed it against my shoulder and I immediately cried out in pain. From the alley over I heard Marcus begin to engage our attackers.

"Help him." I told Max. I took the cloth from him and pressed it against my shoulder wincing and taking in a sharp breath as I did. Max seemed torn for a moment on whether to leave me, but he finally turned toward the street.

"Stay." He ordered me simply, and I nodded my head in agreement. He took out his gun and leaned around the side of the building to engage our opponents. After several minutes, he finally turned to me. "Let's go." He told me.

As I ran out from the alley, so did the rest of my family from their respective hiding places. In the street, Emerald lay motionless.

I stood shocked as I looked at her body lying in the middle of the street. Her eyes were open and stared upward seeing nothing. Max quickly grabbed my hand again and pulled me forward.

"Later." Was all he said.

* * *

We were nearly there. So close to being out. I led Sapphire and her family into another side alley and motioned we should stop. As the family slowed, I could tell that Ruby and Caleb were both nearing the point of exhaustion. Ruby had a child in arms, and Caleb was just a boy. Alexandrite, Pearl and the Queen were holding their own, but they had seen too much for one day. They moved in shock, blindly following our orders for lack of anything better to go for.

Sapphire wasn't doing well. She was even more pale than her normal complexion.

"We'll rest here a moment." I told them.

The group nodded in agreement and settled down. Marcus appeared around the corner after making sure no one was right behind us. He immediately focused his attention on Ruby, while I did the same with my own wife.

She held the cloth I had given to her against her wound, but it was past the point of being soaked through. She was losing a lot of blood.

I knelt beside where she was sitting and began to fasten a bandage out of my shirt sleeve.

"For once you're patching me up." She remarked as I began to work on her shoulder.

"We can go back to the old way as soon as you'd like." I immediately answered.

She laughed dryly, but winced as she did.

"You've lost a lot of blood." I told her.

"Is that why I feel so awful?" She answered back.

I didn't answer her sarcasm. I reached for my backpack and quickly found the needle and tubing I was looking for.

"No." She immediately told me.

"I'm not going to have you bleed out on me." I answered. "And luckily for you I am the perfect donor." I pushed my needle into my arm and watched as my blood slowly filled the tube in front of me.

"What if you get weak or make a mistake because of this?" She implored me. "I couldn't live with myself if I knew I was only alive because you had died."

"I won't die." I answered.

"How do you know that?" She asked me.

"Because if I die no one takes care of you." I immediately responded.

She looked at me skeptically before she extended her arm to me begrudgingly. She winced slightly as I put the needle in her arm, but other than that she didn't move.

"Max." She said quietly after a few moments of silence.

"Hm?"

"If I die, take care of my family."

Immediately I shook my head at her words. "You're not going to die." I replied.

"But if I did."

"You won't-"

"Max!" She interrupted me harshly. "Promise me you'll take care of them? Pearl especially. She's going to need someone after all of this."

"So you'll be there for her."

"But if I'm not?" She pressed.

I didn't want to think about this. In fact, I made a point of never thinking about what might happen if Sapphire were to die. I remembered lying in the back of my car with her, the morning after she had told me she loved me. I had thought briefly, then, about what would happen if Sapphire were to suddenly cease to be. I had known only two options to exist then. Becoming a shell of a person, like what I was when I had first met the Wives. Or death.

Thinking of her death was making the whispers in my head grow in strength. I gritted my teeth and pushed them to the back of my mind, and focused my eyes on the woman in front of me.

"Max?" She asked me again. Her hand found its way to mine, and as her fingers snaked through my own I sighed heavily.

"I'll take care of them." I finally consented.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Good." Was all she said. She squeezed my hand just slightly before she spoke again. "Maybe one day you and I will be allowed to live together without constant fear for our lives."

"That day is nearly here." I answered her. "We just need to go a little bit farther." She nodded and smiled softly at me, and as she did Marcus called from behind me.

"Max! We've got to move!"

I nodded in agreement and patched Sapphire up quickly before I got her on her feet again. She seemed a little stronger, but not much.

I led her and her family out of the alley, and we began to run again. We ran, and soon turned a corner and the bridge came into view. Chunks of it were missing and I could see cracks in it from when the fighting had been centered there, but this was our only way out. Sunlight streamed down onto the stone from the gigantic hole that Graves had made when he had blown his way into the city.

All that was left now was to cross the bridge to our exit. I began to lead them toward the bridge, and fired a few shots to clear the remaining men blocking our way. I ran forward, the family close behind me. They were moving quickly now, the exit had stirred the last bit of hope in them. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure they were keeping up, and as I did I saw Sapphire stumble and fall. Immediately, I ran toward her, ushering Marcus to keep moving as I did.

No sooner had I ran forward, than I saw Graves' men heading toward us on the bridge. I picked up my pace to get to Sapphire, but as I did I noticed a small object flying through the air. It landed on the ground, just a few feet behind my wife.

"Sapphire, move!" I yelled to her as loud as I could.

She stumbled to her feet at my command, but no sooner had she stood than the grenade went off.

The ground shook beneath me as it did, and my sight was blinded for a moment and my hearing was replaced with ringing. When my eyes finally found focus again, the portion of the bridge Sapphire had been laying on was gone, as was Sapphire.

"No!"

Instantly I bolted for the missing section of the bridge, and I looked over the edge. My breath caught in my throat at what I saw.

Sapphire clung to a steel rod with her good arm, and dangled over darkness. Underneath this bridge was the reservoir. It was a far drop down. I didn't know if she would survive the fall.

Immediately, I laid on the side of the bridge and reached toward her, ignoring the gunfire coming my way from the city. The bridge was thick, I wasn't nearly close enough to her.

Behind me I suddenly heard returning gunfire. I looked over my shoulder to see Marcus reappearing. He had fended off the men, at least for now, and immediately grabbed onto my legs. "Drop." He ordered me.

I didn't hesitate. He anchored me, and I lowered myself down toward her.

"Sapphire." I called to her gently.

Her crystal eyes found mine desperately. "Max! I can't hold on much longer."

I reached toward her, but she was just inches from my reach. A slew of curses spilled out of my mouth as I reached toward her, so close yet so far.

"You have to reach." I told her. "I can't get to you."

"I can't." She told me. Her arm hung limply at her side, useless because of her shoulder.

"Try, Sapphire!"

"I can't!" She called back at me. As she did, I saw her fingers slip on the rod and she slid down a few more inches.

"We have to go lower." I yelled over my shoulder to Marcus.

"We can't." He answered me. I could hear the strain in his voice as he struggled to hold me like this.

"Max."

My eyes darted back to Sapphire as she spoke my name. As soon as I met eyes with her, I knew what she was going to say. I shook my head before I even heard her speak.

"You have to let me go." She told me.

"No." I immediately answered.

"I can't reach for you, and you can't reach me." She answered.

"Goddamnit Sapphire!" I cursed back. "Don't let go! Do you understand me? Do not let go."

"I love you Max." She answered me. "Don't forget how much I loved you. Don't fall back into the dark. Take care of my family."

"Don't do this!" I yelled back to her. "Hold on, I'll get to you."

"I can't hold on any longer." She answered me, and tears began to fall down her face as she did. "I'm sorry, Max. I'm so sorry."

I reached as far as I could for her, and felt my fingertips barely brush against her fingers. I reached again, but as I did I saw her fingers slip off the rod and I heard her scream.

I watched in slow motion as her fingers slid down the rest of the rod and her eyes widened with fear. The last look I saw in her eyes was pure terror before she plummeted into darkness.

The sound that came out of me sounded more beast than human, and as she fell Marcus pulled me back up.

As soon as I was on the bridge I spoke to Marcus. "We have to go get her." Were the first words out of my mouth.

"Are you insane?!" Marcus shot back. "How? Are you going to fight your way back in the city again? Fight your way down to the Lower City to the reservoir shore and search for her body in darkness?"

"She could have survived the fall-"

"If she did, she's unconscious now. And she'll have drowned long before you got there to save her."

I shook my head in denial at his words, but he didn't listen to me. "If this were anyone else you would tell us to keep moving." He hissed at me. When I didn't respond he grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the edge of the bridge, back toward the outside.

But I didn't care about escaping now. I didn't care about outside, or about any of these people here. The only person I cared about in this world had just plummeted to her death.

I walked numbly outside and to the car. I got in, but my eyes never moved from the rearview mirror. As Marcus drove us away, I left everything behind.

She was gone. Everything that had made the world bright and beautiful to me had been extinguished forever.

As we drove, I was aware of Pearl's urgent voice. She was asking why we weren't going back for Sapphire, that she could still be alive.

No one spoke.

Eventually, her cries of confusion gave way to muffled sobs. Between her, Caleb, Alexandrite, Ruby, and the baby all crying, I couldn't take it. I needed to escape them.

"Pull over." I hissed to Marcus.

"We can't stop now." He retaliated. "They could be in pursuit."

"Stop." Came the sudden voice of the Queen. "There's no one behind us. We need a moment."

Marcus slowed the car to a stop, and as he did I immediately climbed out of the vehicle. I didn't get more than a few feet away from the car before I fell to my knees. I stared numbly in the direction of the mountain, and I felt my heart shatter to pieces.

What do you do when your reason to be alive, suddenly ceases to be?

Around me, the royal family was having a similar response to the mass amount of tragedy that had befallen them. The Queen finally broke down, and with her breakdown Pearl lost any semblance of self-control she had.

Her heartbroken sobs tore through me, and I finally lost composure. I felt my eyes begin to well with tears, and I looked down at the sand until it blurred completely in front of me. I was aware of a low rumbling, and at first I thought it was another car. Then I realized that it had come from overhead.

Shortly after the thunder, rain began to fall.

Rain.

I looked up at the sky and as I did I marveled at the mass irony of the world.

Or perhaps it wasn't irony after all. Perhaps the world had felt the loss, and was mourning with me. Whatever the reason, it began to pour. And as it did all I could think about was Sapphire, with her water eyes and ice hair.

* * *

A/N: Please leave me a review!


	21. Chapter 21: Waking Up

A/N: I know you all hate me. And I'm really sorry about that. But the image of Sapphire falling from the bridge trying to escape has been ingrained in my mind since the day I started writing this story, so it had to happen. Obviously we just witnessed a turning point in the story, which was necessary in order for me to bring the story full circle like I wanted to. So please, don't hate me, keep reading, I promise you want to see how this all turns out.

Thanks to my reviewers of the last chapter, and to everyone who is still reading.

'beachchick3','Cotton Strings' (I know you hate me, I'm sorry),'M', and my guest reviewer.

Please review again, and tell me what you think.

* * *

Chapter 21: Waking Up

I woke up slowly, the world around me blurry and confused. A mix of dark unfamiliar shapes surrounded me and I blinked my eyes rapidly to try to gain some semblance of focus. Suddenly, I heard muffled voices around me.

"She's waking up. Go call for the doctor."

Doctor? Where the hell was I?

My vision finally began to focus, and as it did I took in my surroundings quickly. I was in a dark room, lit only by candlelight. The room was full of books and car parts, with a small cramped desk in one corner. It was a small room, very small. At one end of the room there was an open door leading to a hallway. On the other side, another door was open to some small balcony. It occurred to me that I was lying in a bed.

"How are you feeling, Sapphire?"

I heard the same voice again, this time it sounded more familiar to me. I cast my eyes in the direction of the sound, and saw a familiar face.

"May?" I asked, bewildered.

The old woman's face crinkled into a smile, and she grasped hold of my hand.

"Yes dear." She told me. "I see you took my advice to survive quite literally."

"Where am I?" I asked her urgently. I tried to sit up, but as I did I felt a dull, aching pain in my shoulder. I winced, and as I did May helped me get into an upright position.

"Take it easy." May told me. "You've been though a lot."

I was going to respond when I suddenly saw another familiar figure enter the room.

"Jax?" I asked, shocked as he walked into the room. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, it's my house. And that's my bed you're lying in, actually."

"Oh." I replied immediately, somewhat embarrassed.

"He saved your life." May chimed in.

I looked at Jax in complete shock, and he ducked his head almost sheepishly. "Saved my life?" I questioned.

"You fell from the bridge." Jax told me.

Suddenly, memory flooded over me in one quick wave. I remembered hanging from the bridge as Max tried desperately to reach me. He had been so close. Just not close enough. When I had been hanging from the bridge I had accepted my death. Now, here I was, suddenly thrust back into life.

"I remember." I finally murmured out. "Max was alive. He and Marcus. They came back for my family. We were almost out, and someone threw a grenade at us. Part of the bridge collapsed. I thought I was going to die. What happened?"

"I was in the Lower City with May." Jax began. "I'd gotten her from the hospital, and we were coming back here to safety when we noticed bodies on the shore of the reservoir. We started gathering them, trying to make the water clear again and get back some troops for family members. Some of the men were still alive and needed medical attention. May told me she thought there might be more in the water, so I took a boat and a spotlight and went to look. While I was out there I saw the explosion on the bridge, and I saw a person fall. I got over to you as quickly as I could. You were sinking, but I saw it was you. I jumped in, pulled you out. When I realized you were still alive I got you back here as quickly as I could. May got Doctor Stone, and she helped you. And now we're here."

"How long have I been asleep for?" I asked, still feeling completely bewildered.

"A couple of days." May answered. "Doctor Stone has been keeping you asleep, to help with the pain and to speed up your recovery. It was a dismal outlook when we first pulled you from the water."

"You'd lost a lot of blood." Jax finished.

My mind thought back to the blood transfusion I hadn't wanted Max to give me. It sounded like that was the only thing that had kept me alive.

"My family made it out. Max made it out. They're at the Citadel, I need to get word to them."

May and Jax exchanged uneasy glances before May spoke. "The official word is that your entire family is dead. That's what Graves is telling the people. We had you here, so we knew that wasn't fully true. But who knows? They could've been stopped outside the city, or ran down. But besides that, it won't be as easy as leaving and telling them you're here. The City is on complete lockdown."

"Graves can't lose any more citizens." Jax continued. "The city needs certain people to operate it. The scientists in the labs, the engineers, the machinists. If he wants this city to run the way it was meant to, he needs to keep us in, keep us working. If nobody tends the crops, they die. Nobody watches the water systems, the city runs dry or drinks dirty water. After the battle, people began to flee the city. He re-sealed the entrance and hasn't allowed anyone in or out."

"So I'm trapped here?" I asked.

May and Jax exchanged glances before May finally answered. "It would seem you are, for now. But, Graves has no idea you're here. Only myself, Jax, and Doctor Stone know that you're even alive."

"I thought other people lived here with you?" I asked Jax.

"They didn't survive the battle." He answered quickly. "It's just us here now. May lives in one room, and Doctor Stone in the other."

"I thought Doctor Stone lived in the Upper City?" I asked confusedly.

"She did." Jax answered. "Until Graves' troops ransacked her home and took it for themselves."

I nodded in understanding before Jax spoke again.

"You'll be safe here. Until we can get a message to your family, or find a way for you to escape."

I exhaled heavily, and as I did I thought of Max and my family. I remembered Max's face as I had fallen, and as soon as I thought about it, tears jumped into my eyes. "He thinks I'm dead." I whispered. "Max thinks I'm dead." I could only imagine what was happening to him right now. He would take my apparent death as his fault, a failure to protect me. It would be like losing Jessie for him all over again.

And Pearl. My mother. I couldn't imagine what they were feeling. After the loss of our father and brothers-

I had nearly forgotten they were all dead. I let out a small, choked sob as I became overwhelmed with everything.

"My family-" I managed to get out through my tears. "My brothers, my father, Emerald. They're all dead. And everyone else thinks I'm dead with them."

May placed her arms around me gently and rubbed my back. "I know. I'm so sorry dear."

Suddenly, another person burst into the dimly lit room. Doctor Stone.

"You're awake!" She breathed as soon as she saw me. But then she saw my face, and her face fell too.

"Did they tell you?" She asked me.

"That I'm trapped here?" I asked. "Yes, they told me."

"No, not that. The other thing." She looked to Jax, and he shook his head no.

"What other thing?" I insisted.

"Maybe now isn't the time." Doctor Stone replied awkwardly.

"Please, Doctor Stone. It's not like it could get much worse."

"I'm not so sure about that." She answered somberly. She sighed heavily before she began to speak again. "When I first checked over you I took some of your blood. I needed to make sure there were no infections from your shoulder wound. Your tests for an infection came back negative. However… Another test came back positive."

I stared at her blankly, feeling my body go completely numb. I had already known I was late. I had thought it was stress, from everything going on. I guess I was wrong.

"I'm pregnant?" I barely whispered out.

"Yes. About three weeks along, it would seem." Doctor Stone answered me.

My hand covered my mouth in shock as I processed this new information. But I didn't cry. No, I stopped crying. I couldn't cry anymore, what would be the point? There was so much to mourn, I would never stop.

My whole body trembled and I wrapped my arms around myself self-consciously.

"I need a moment." I whispered finally.

"Of course." Doctor Stone answered. The three of them filed out of the room, and I sat there numbly. I had never been so alone and unsafe in my entire life. I had no one to turn to, nowhere to go. I had only these three people, friends I had made only months ago. I didn't know if I could trust them, but now it seemed I had no choice. If I didn't stay here anonymously, then I had nowhere to go. And if I was discovered by Graves' men, I would never leave this city.

I had to put my faith in them. I didn't have any other choice.

* * *

I sat alone for several hours, contemplating everything that had happened to me. I had finally reached a point of acceptance. I was trapped, but it was not all hopeless yet. I was safe here, with Jax, May, and Doctor Stone. They were risking their lives helping me, when they could have easily left me to die out in the reservoir. And despite all of this death, there was now life. I was pregnant by Max. And I knew that I would do whatever it would take to keep that child safe. Falling into Graves' hands now would be the worst thing that could happen. I had to bide my time, find a way to escape and get back to my husband and my family. Something inside me told me that Max was still alive, and so were my other siblings. I had seen them reach the exit. If Max had been able to get them in a car, nothing would have been able to stop them from reaching the Citadel, that much I was certain of.

I'd heard the other members of the house moving about quietly for some time, but eventually it seemed like all had settled. I was sure it must be nighttime by now, and they were all asleep. I was surprised when I heard footsteps in the hall. Eventually Jax appeared in the doorway with a glass of water in his hand.

"You're still awake." He said when he saw me.

I nodded and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Would you like some water?" He asked.

I nodded and he entered the room and handed the glass to me.

"Thank you." I murmured.

He nodded and turned to leave, and just before he did I spoke. "Jax?" I called out.

He immediately froze and turned around. "Yes?"

"Um… I've been alone for a while now. I could use a friend."

He hesitated for a moment, clearly surprised. He walked forward and took a seat at the foot of the bed and looked at me questioningly.

"I never thanked you for saving my life. And for bringing me here, keeping me safe all this time." I told him. "Thank you."

"It's not a big deal." Jax answered casually.

"It is to me. You don't owe me anything and yet you still seem to be finding ways to help me. And since I'm pregnant that means you really saved two lives. I cannot thank you enough for saving my child."

"I wasn't so sure you'd be thanking me when you woke up." He replied.

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked him confusedly.

"You lost your whole family, you're pregnant, you're trapped here in this little rathole of a house-"

"Jax." I interrupted him, touching his arm to stop his rambling. "You _saved_ me. It's ok to accept my thanks."

In the dim light I could've sworn I saw him blush. As he did I felt a small, sad smile pull at the corner of my mouth. He was so shy. So unlike Max that it made me think of Max. I dropped my gaze to the floor, and once again was immersed in my thoughts. I felt my heart break as I thought of my husband. He was so far away, and believed me dead. He had no idea I was alive and carrying his child. I exhaled heavily as these thoughts crowded my mind and when I finally looked up, I found Jax already studying my face.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked me.

"I just keep thinking about Max." I replied honestly. "I'm worried about him. What he's thinking, what he's doing. How he's handling all of this. My husaband wasn't exactly stable when we first met. He's gotten better, since being here. But I worry about his state of mind now. He needs to know that I'm still alive, and as quickly as possible."

"We'll get word to your family as soon as we have a way too." Jax assured me.

I smiled at him and nodded, but in my chest I felt my fear begin to weigh down heavy on my heart. I remembered what Max had been when we first met. Broken, insane, and dangerous. I knew the clock must be ticking on his life. I needed to get to him as quickly as I could. For his sake, my sake, and our child's. The last thing I wanted to do was raise our child without him. I didn't want to think Max capable of suicide, but I had a feeling that after this loss he would have little faith, if any at all, in the way of the world. And even if he didn't kill himself, he could go off and deliberately get himself killed. Or, he could drive off into the desert once more, and I would never see him again.

"Hey." Jax called to me softly.

I looked up, broken out of my thoughts by his voice.

"If they're alive, we'll find them, ok? I promise you."

I nodded quickly, but as I nodded I felt tears begin to fall from my face.

"No, Sapphire. Please don't cry."

"I can't help it." I whispered out. "I've never been without them, without my family. Now half of them are dead and I don't even know if the other half are still alive. I just feel alone."

He shook his head. "You're not alone. I promise you're not."

I wiped my tears from my face hastily and nodded quickly, trying to keep my emotions at bay.

"Do you… Do you want me to stay?" He asked me quietly.

I froze at his question, surprised he had asked it. But after a moment I nodded yes to him. I didn't want to be alone anymore. I wanted to feel safe. So far, Jax had kept me safe in his own way.

He nodded and stood to close the door to the hall and to the balcony. I moved to the side of the bed to make room for him, and he climbed in next to me. He blew out the candle at my bedside and we were thrust into darkness.

He laid down, and I hesitated before I moved to rest my head on his chest. As I did his fingers found their way into my hair and he began to tug through them. As he did I was reminded of Max, and tears began to fall freely from my eyes onto his chest.

"Shh." He told me. "You're safe for now. It's gonna be ok."

I don't know if he even believed what he was saying to me, or if he was just trying to offer me some small comfort. No matter what it was, I was glad he was there. I didn't want to be left alone with my mind for the night.

I realized what it must have done to Max. It clicked in my head so quickly. His own wife and child had been ripped from his life so violently, much like the way my father, brothers, and sister had been taken from me. After his family's death, Max had shoved himself into isolation. All those years alone after Jessie and Sprog, with only his own mind as his companion. I could understand now how he had gone mad. The thoughts he must have had, the emotions. They must have pushed him over the thin line between sanity and insanity. I was feeling my own conflicted emotions over what had happened to my family. Sadness, for the loss of them. Guilt. Perhaps if I had just gone with Graves all of this could have been avoided. Anger, at Graves for what he had done to my city, my family, and my friends. Despair, for my current situation. Everything I thought I knew about the way the world worked had been challenged in a matter of days. My very reality had been shattered and ripped away from me. I had a feeling that retaining my sanity was going to become more of a challenge as time went on. I was already changed by all of this. The anger that I had felt sitting in my mother's room when I thought Max was dead had not left my body. On the contrary, it was beginning to find a home inside my very bones.

I wanted to find my family. I wanted to reunite with Max. But something inside of me had changed fundamentally. Rivaled by my desire to be with my family was my desire to destroy Axel Graves. I no longer thought the world beautiful. I no longer believed that if people were good they could conquer evil. I understood now why Max had to be so cruel outside of the city.

This world was cruel. It was unfair. And good did not always prevail. I realized that defeating the dark in the world would not come from being the light. In order to destroy the darkness, you had to understand it. You had to let it in to you, let it become a part of you. And I could feel it happening. I would never be the same after this. Anger was engrained in me now, it was part of my very being. And as much as it hurt, I didn't want it to go away. I needed to feel the anger, to be reminded of everything that had been taken from me. I needed the anger to continue to move forward.

I truly understood now what it meant to hate. And I could feel the hate boiling in my stomach, threatening to fill me and burst through my skin. And my hate was all centered toward one person.

Axel Graves.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading, and please leave a review.

What do we think about Sapphire's new mindset, her situation, and her pregnancy?

What's happened to Max and the family?


	22. Chapter 22: A Deal with the Devil

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long. This chapter has been written for some time but I do have to admit I have been somewhat afraid to release it. Normally I like to look at reviews to see how people are taking the story so far. I like to see where my reviews are going, and typically if you guys seem to be thinking poorly about a certain plot or think I'm off my rocker I like to take a step back and reevaluate what I've written to see if I can make it make more sense or go in a certain direction that's more well received, or even change the plot based on a new idea one of you may have given me.

But I do have to say that the reception for the last two chapters has been on either end of the spectrum. I was expecting some mixture of opinions because that is always what happens when you make major plot moves, but this is quite extreme I will admit. Some of you absolutely hate what I've done, some think it's clever, some love it, some think its complete BS. I am concerned by some of the reactions because this story is about to take a very dark turn and I honestly don't know how you guys are going to feel about it. So I guess I'm just going to go with exactly what I have planned and hope for the best.

Thank you to my reviewers,

'Artemis1000','beachchick3','Troo','F','ozlady80' (x5 thank you for reviewing all of the chapters leading up to this as well),'DieselCrane' (I do look for your reviews, they are often insightful and focus on my literary strategies which I appreciate. Sorry about the wait on this chapter, I know you waited a while for the others.),'beatshield','Mia', 'kaylee00', and my guest reviewer. Thank you all so much! I especially want to thank my reviewers that review each chapter (or at least most of my chapters), either with encouragement or criticism. I really appreciate you taking the time to do so and I look for all my 'regulars' when I update each chapter. You guys are who I write for.

Of course, thank you to everyone reading the story as well. Here we go, another rough chapter I'm afraid.

* * *

Chapter 22: A Deal with the Devil

I woke suddenly as I heard gunshots outside the house.

Next to me, Jax did the same. He took his arm from my waist and looked toward the door.

"Stay here." He told me quietly.

I nodded and he stood from the bed quickly and walked out of the door to the room.

It had been a week since I had woken up in this same bed. So far everything had been going alright, I had stayed hidden as we had planned. Jax slept with me some nights, which was a comfort and a burden to me at the same time. His presence made me feel safe, and it was nice when I woke up from one of my nightmares that he was right there, waiting to reassure me of reality. On the other hand, I couldn't help but feel as though I was betraying Max in some way by letting him stay with me. He never touched me salaciously, never crossed any lines. But I knew Max wouldn't be happy about it if he was here.

Then again, if he was here I wouldn't need Jax to make me feel safe at night.

Outside in the hall I heard Jax and Doctor Stone talking in urgent hushed voices. I heard more gunshots outside, closer now, and screams. My heartrate quickened as the sounds grew closer. Jax appeared in the door suddenly and spoke to me.

"Graves knows you're alive. He's sent men to raid the houses for you. We need to leave now."

"How? How could he have found out?" I asked urgently.

"Someone must have seen me pull you from the water, or maybe seen you through a window. It doesn't matter, we need to go."

"Where?" I asked. "There's nowhere to go."

"I know, but they can't find you here. They'll kill all of us." He told me.

My mind traveled to Doctor Stone and May, and I immediately nodded. I stood from the bed and he handed me a black hoodie to slip over my head. I took his hand and he led me quickly to the balcony. He looked over the edge and hopped over the rail onto some wooden boxes in the alley.

"Jump down." He called to me quietly.

In the distance I heard the noise grow closer still. I climbed over the rail and hopped down. Jax caught me as I fell and lowered me gently onto the boxes. He jumped to the ground, and helped me down before he took my hand again and rushed away from the voices of the soldiers.

"We'll hide you somewhere." Jax told me as we ran along a back alley. "Wait for things to cool off then-"

Suddenly we turned and hit a dead end. I spun around quickly, and looked at Jax urgently as I heard voices of men just around the corner.

"They're coming." I whispered.

Jax yanked his gun out of his holster, and as soon as he did I pressed my hand against his arm.

"No!" I told him. "No. They'll kill you."

"They'll kill me anyway for helping you." He answered.

An idea popped into my head. "Then don't help me. Help them." I told him urgently. "Go to them now and tell them you've found me."

"Are you insane?" He asked me incredulously.

"They'll arrest you or kill you for helping me, and at this point they're going to find me no matter what. Go tell them where I am right now." I urged him.

"We can find a way to hide you-"

"Where?" I implored him immediately. "He knows I'm here. There is nowhere that I would be safe."

He looked at me, clearly conflicted, so I continued.

"Only one of us need be taken. Think of Doctor Stone, May. They need you. Think of what would have happened to them if you hadn't been here after the battle." I continued. I pushed him in the direction of the voices. "Go, Jax!"

"I promised I wouldn't leave you to him." Jax answered.

"You can't keep any promises to me if you're dead."

He finally seemed to resolve himself and he exhaled heavily as he did. He quickly pulled me toward him and wrapped his arms around me.

"How many times are we going to have to do this?" He asked me.

"I was just wondering the same thing."

He held me a moment longer before he finally released me. "Thank you for everything." I told him quietly.

He nodded quickly and holstered his gun before he exhaled heavily and turned toward the voices. He walked their direction, and turned a corner. In the distance I heard his voice.

"Hey! This way! She's down here!"

* * *

I waited in the Queen's Quarters for my audience with Graves. As I did, I didn't cry. I didn't pity myself. I didn't wonder who was going to come save me, or how I was going to be protected.

I thought.

I could view this as a setback. A block between me getting back to my family. But that would be counter constructive. I had to view this as an opportunity. A way to further my plans of reuniting with my family. I was close to Graves now, the man I hated. An opportunity to avenge the death of my father, brothers, and sister would never be closer.

I knew undoubtedly of what he wanted to do with me. But luckily for me, this was a story that was all too familiar to me. I paced back and forth and thought until I had formulated a plan in my mind. When Graves finally summoned me, I was ready to see him.

His men came to get me, and when they did they tried to tie my arms behind my back.

"There's no need." I told them simply. "I will go to him willingly."

They looked at me apprehensively and I spoke again.

"Where do I have to run to?"

The finally nodded, and they walked beside me as I walked towards the King's quarters, and toward Graves.

When I entered the room he was standing waiting for me.

"Leave us." He growled to the men who had escorted me.

They nodded frantically and exited quickly.

When we were alone he began to speak.

"Sapphire." He stated quietly. "I thought you were dead."

"Why would you think that?"

"When I caught up to your family and you weren't there. I assumed the worse."

He was bringing up my family, telling me he had caught them. I decided to play into it. "What happened to my family?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "What do you think?"

I didn't answer him. He wanted me to believe my family was dead, but I would not give up that hope. He had lied to me about Max's death once before, I was certain he would do it again. But this time I wouldn't be a fool enough to believe what he told me.

But he didn't need to know that I didn't believe him. My plan rested on his trusting me. And if he was going to trust me he was going to need to believe I was much more dumb than I really was.

"I'm glad you are safe. Although, it would seem you're quite alone, Princess."

"I don't think I'm a Princess anymore."

He chuckled. "Touché, my dear." He walked toward me until he towered over me. His hands reached up to my neck and I flinched away from him, afraid for a moment that he was going to wrap his hands around my neck and strangle me. But he didn't do anything of the sort. His fingertips traced over the skin of my neck gently, and as they did he smiled.

"You really are so beautiful." He murmured. "It's a shame you tried to run from me."

"I don't want to run anymore." I answered immediately. "I'm tired of running. I'm tired of being afraid. My last husband wasn't strong enough to protect me. And only the strong survive in this world. I don't want to feel afraid anymore. And I think that you know best how to make me feel safe."

"Is that so?" He asked me quietly.

I nodded my head. "You defeated my father and my husband, both men that I thought were strong. But you are stronger still."

"You'll excuse me, Princess, if I have trouble believing that you would entrust me with your life."

"I don't have very much choice."

He smirked. "No, I suppose you don't." His fingers moved to my hair, and his other hand moved to my face. He ran his thumb along my lip and smiled just slightly as he did. I didn't flinch away, I let him touch me. His eyes raked over my exposed neck and as they did I began to speak to him again.

"Make me your Queen." I told him quietly.

He laughed aloud now. "You had that chance once. It won't happen again."

"I have been a Princess my entire life. The last thing I want is to become a prisoner. I can help you." I told him. "The City is in revolt. You can't control them. When they find out that I'm alive and you've captured me they'll be furious, especially if they believe you've harmed me in some way. That doesn't sound like something you need to happen."

"So what's your suggestion?" He countered.

"You need children, and I need safety. We'll make a trade. You don't know how to govern a city, I do. I can help you. Make me your Queen and show the people you want peace. Make me your Queen, and I will give myself to you willingly."

He released his hold of me and arched an eyebrow at me. "You would give yourself to me?"

"Yes." I answered him.

"Bear my children willingly? Raise them?"

"Only if I am Queen."

He chuckled at my words. "You realize as Queen your power is only what I make it."

"Obviously." I replied immediately. "It is not power I seek. Only a place to live out the rest of my life in peace. If my family is dead as you say then I have nowhere else to go, and no purpose. I would have a purpose again, serving this City as I once did. And serving it's new King."

His eyes raked over me once more. I could see him analyzing my face, my words. He was looking for a crack in my mask, something to show that I was lying about my intentions. As far as he knew I had nowhere to run to, and no friends. I may not have anywhere to run to, but I certainly was not without friends or help. But he would never see that from my face. But I had been through too much, known too much pain. My face showed exactly what I wanted it to.

"Very well." Graves finally answered. "Two days. In two days I will marry you in front of the city."

I nodded and as I did he turned away from me and walked toward the balcony of the room.

"Leave me." He ordered me.

I nodded and left the room. The guards were waiting for me, and they escorted me back to my room.

As soon as I was alone I smiled. Step one of my plan was complete.

* * *

The next day I was sitting quietly in the Queen's quarters, reading, when I was suddenly interrupted. The door to my room burst open, and Axel Graves walked in flanked by two guards. Behind him was none other than Doctor Stone. Immediately my heart flew up into my throat.

"Is everything alright?" I asked Graves as I tried to keep my voice calm. Had Doctor Stone betrayed me? Had she told Graves about my child?

"I need to make sure you're not pregnant before this happens." He stated simply. "You were quite loyal to your husband just weeks ago. Wouldn't want any illegitimates running around here."

"Of course." I answered quickly. "To my knowledge I am not-"

"Do the test." He told Doctor Stone, cutting me off.

She nodded quickly and walked toward me. I tried to meet her eyes but she wouldn't look at me.

"Your arm, please." She said to me.

I extended my arm, and she took a syringe out of her pocket. Her fingers were trembling, and I saw her taking deep breaths as she tried to stabilize her hands. I didn't dare say a word to her. If he had called her here that meant he had no idea of our friendship. I winced as the needle went into my arm and withdrew blood. I looked at Doctor Stone desperately, terrified of what would happen if the result came back positive. But she wouldn't meet my eyes.

"This will show if she's pregnant?" Graves asked Doctor Stone.

"A blood test will provide a positive result for as early as two weeks of pregnancy." Doctor Stone articulated. "And considering you've been in control of the city for at least that long, it should pick up any pregnancy she may be carrying."

She pulled the syringe out of my arm and then pulled out another vial. I stared at it, and just before she put my blood in it I could have sworn I saw her slip something else into it as well.

She deposited the blood into the vial and pulled a test stick from her pocket. She dipped the stick in the blood before she set it down and we waited.

After some time she wandered over to the test and looked at it.

"Negative." She declared, holding up the test for Graves to see. He walked over and looked at it himself before he nodded curtly and walked out of the room, his guards behind him.

Doctor Stone turned to follow them, and just before she left my room she looked back at me one last time.

'Thank you'. I mouthed to her.

She nodded briskly before she headed out of the room.

* * *

The next day I stood in my room alone, clothed in a deep blue dress that Axel Graves had picked for me to wear. It was much sexier than anything I would have worn in my former life. The dress was open-shouldered with bejeweled sleeves, with a bodice that had a deep V. The material grew flowing over my hips, but a long slit over one leg still showed off much of my skin when I walked.

I waited patiently and eventually he came for me. We walked down the hall towards the steps of the palace. When I walked out of the doors, I heard the shocked murmurs from the streets below. My family was supposed to be dead, me along with them. I had been in the city enough that many recognized me immediately.

The whole point of this was to make a point. I was alive, I was unscathed, and I was agreeing to this match. The people whispered murmurs of coercion, about how I was trapped and had no choice. They were right. But the purpose of this was diplomatic peace.

My eyes flitted out over the audience. Some people I recognized from when I had volunteered in the city. Most I didn't recognize. My eyes did manage to find Jax, May, and Doctor Stone in the crowd. May and Doctor Stone wore only looks of deep concern on their faces. Jax's expression was completely unreadable. I wanted desperately to tell them that I knew what I was doing, that this was what I wanted, that this was what needed to happen. Even if I told them I wasn't sure they would believe me. But I knew one thing for certain. If I was a prisoner, I would accomplish nothing. I would sit alone in a room waiting every day for the same punishment from him. At least this way I had a chance to manipulate Graves to my advantage.

Graves said a few words about working towards peace and an overall stronger society. He announced that he was taking me as his queen, and then that was the conclusion of the ceremony. We walked back into the palace and back toward his room.

He immediately closed and locked the door behind him as we walked into the room. I stood in the center of the King's room and took a deep breath in. I had done it. I was Queen. My fear of what was to come next was temporarily overshadowed by my pride at my accomplishment. Today would not be the day I was called prisoner.

Graves walked further into the suite and he retrieved a bottle of rum. He returned with two glasses and poured one for himself, and then one that he handed to me.

"Congratulations." He muttered before he slammed the entire glass back. "You're Queen."

"Thank you." I answered. I sipped on my glass of rum just barely and looked at Graves. He was already through his second shot, and was looking at me.

I swallowed nervously and he approached me. He took my glass from my hand and set it down on the table. He raised his empty hand to my shoulder and he gently ran his hand along my arm.

"You are so soft." He said quietly as he looked at my skin. "So smooth."

I was still trembling under his touch, afraid for what was going to come next. His eyes watched the path of his hand for a few more moments before he turned away from me and poured himself another glass of the liquor. He slumped back into a chair and stared at me as he drank it, his dark eyes completely unreadable. I stood alone and unmarred in the center of the room, rather surprised.

"Is something wrong?" I asked him.

"I've never been with a woman who didn't want me." He answered me after several quiet seconds. "I thought it would be easier."

"You kill people." I whispered back.

"So did your husband. Tell me, did he ever rape you?"

I shook my head.

"It's a different kind of sin, Sapphire." He replied quietly. I wasn't used to him saying my name yet. It sounded strange and foreign to me coming from his mouth. More sensual. More dark.

"You intended to force me all along." I replied quickly, harder than I meant to. "What's changed now?"

"That's not true. I asked you to come with me first."

I crossed my arms over my chest, dissatisfied with his answer. Asking me first, perhaps, but then slaughtering my family after. In my mind this man was capable of anything and everything. I expected him to elaborate further, rather I wanted him to. But he didn't speak again. He didn't owe me any answers in his mind.

I stood still for a moment and remembered the promise I had made to Graves. He'd held up his end of the bargain. Now it was my turn to live up to mine. I tried to think back to my first night with Max. I had been afraid then, too. But I would have given myself to him. That's what I needed to do now. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in and tried to remember what my mother had taught me so many years ago.

I exhaled anxiously before I walked over to Graves. He watched me skeptically as I approached him, but he did not stop me. I reached him and carefully climbed on top of him so that I was straddling him. I reached forward and took his yet unfinished glass of liquor out of his hands. I slammed the drink back, certain that I would need the liquid courage in the coming hours. Graves watched me carefully the whole time, his dark eyes following my every move. I set the glass down and leaned toward Graves. There was a moment of hesitation as my lips hovered just inches above his own. In that moment I said goodbye to all innocence that I had ever known. I said goodbye to my childhood, to my family, and even to Max. I gave up myself in the desperate hope that what I was about to do would save my child. Sapphire had no place in this city. If I was truly to avenge my family and keep my child safe I would have to become something more. When I had finally said goodbye to myself I leaned down and kissed Graves. I felt his immediate response as he kissed me back and pulled me down toward him. I tasted in his kiss desperation and yearning, but also victory. He had wanted me for a long time, and now here I was giving myself to him as he had always wanted. I felt him lift me easily and carry me, and as he carried me to his bed I transformed from Sapphire into the Queen that I needed to be.

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A/N: Let me know what you think, leave a review. For all of my readers that are good at picking up on foreshadowing, you may have seen this coming. If you did see it coming, let me know. If you didn't, tell me what you think. Really just leave me a review no matter what, I do read and appreciate all of them.


	23. Chapter 23: Shadows of the Past

Ok, thank you everyone for reading the last chapter, and thank you to all of those that reviewed. A lot of you are on board, which is good. This chapter came much faster because it's been written for some time. My nerves over releasing the last chapter kind of halted my creative process for a bit, but I'm back on track once more.

'Kei-Kugody','DieselCrane' (only three days, not too much breath to hold),'beachchick3' (Yes, you are absolutely right. Sapphire has been caught in a cycle it would seem, and is now following in her mother's footsteps. So far we've seen the cycle break only when a conquering warlord comes and breaks it, as in the case with Augustus, Sapphire's father, and now with Graves. What that means for Sapphire, we will have to see.), 'beatshield', 'kaylee00', 'Cotton Strings', and my guest reviewer. Thanks so much for taking the time to review my story, and as always thank you to my readers as well.

Enjoy.

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Chapter 23: Shadows of the Past

I watched the desert as the rain fell over it, transforming the dry sand to a muddy mess. It had rained every couple of days since we had left the Stone City nearly two months ago.

I was seated at a small table that overlooked an open view to the desert. Only two items sat on the table in front of me. A glass full of whiskey, and a bottle of whiskey that was past the point of being half empty.

Honestly, I didn't need the glass. I was drinking so heavily that the glass was pointless. It would be more efficient to drink straight from the bottle. But I kept the glass there to make everyone else around me feel like I was drinking in some slight moderation.

I took another sip from the glass and cherished the feel of the alcohol warming my chest. This was all I did, now. I drank. I didn't know what else to do. Since I had lost Sapphire my mind had become a battleground. It was a place of guilt, anger, and sorrow. Drinking numbed all of that. Drinking stopped the voices. Stopped her voice. Sapphire's voice.

Even just thinking about her made my stomach roil with guilt. Every day I thought of what I could have done differently to save her, how I could have just reached a little farther and grabbed her, how I could have stopped Graves outside before any of this had happened.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the sound of someone entering my room. Immediately I feel irritation flicker through me. I do not want to be disturbed.

"It's rude, you know." I said, hearing my own voice slur as I spoke. "To enter a room without knocking."

I turned my head to see who had entered. It was the Queen. Or, Diamond I suppose she was now. She wasn't Queen of anything anymore. She looked at me disapprovingly, arms crossed over her chest. I lifted my glass to her before I took another drink, and she visibly scowled.

"There are quicker ways to kill yourself, you know." She told me sternly.

I chuckled darkly. "Not if you deserve to die. Slow is the only way to go."

She didn't answer me, but instead walked across the room and took a seat in front of me.

"It's also rude to sit down without being invited." I quipped as she sat. My drunkenness was giving me the words that I normally lacked.

"Since when do you care about manners?"

I sipped from my drink. "Touché."

"I've come because Furiosa asked me to." She told me.

"Is that so?"

"She's concerned about your alcohol consumption."

"She made that clear to me the last time I saw her. And I thought I made my point pretty clear as well."

"I'm concerned also." She continued, ignoring my statement.

I scoffed. "Is this an intervention?"

"I suppose you could call it that. I care about what you do with your life. I am indebted to you. You saved my life, Max. The lives of my daughters. I'll be damned if I watch you do this to yourself."

"Uh, _most_ of your daughters." I corrected her immediately. "Emerald and Sapphire didn't really make it."

"What happened to them is not your fault. That is the fault of Axel Graves only, and no other man."

"My failure at the gates to the city is what allowed this to happen." I responded. "If I had stopped him then, none of this would have happened."

"We were outnumbered and outgunned. You did what you could."

"It wasn't enough."

Diamond stopped talking and looked at me with her head tilted to the side. "She loved you, Max." She finally said quietly. "She told me so herself. What do you think it would do to her if she walked in just now and saw you like this? Do you think she'd be proud to have you standing by her side?"

I cast my eyes contemptuously onto her as she spoke. "Fuck. Off."

She didn't even bat an eye at me.

"I heard you promise her that you would keep us safe. How can you do that if you're a drunk? Or since she's not here do you feel like you don't have to live up to your promises?"

"I said, 'Fuck. Off.' Are you confused by what I meant?"

"I'm your mother-in-law." I immediately opened my mouth and gave a barking laugh as she said that, but she continued anyway. "You can laugh all you want, but you can't deny it. You loved my daughter as a wife, not as a concubine. She was your wife in every sense of the word, and you were her husband. That makes me your mother-in-law. And I'm not going to sit by while you drink what's left of your life away."

I looked at her in mild surprise as she spoke. I was shocked she had the gall to speak to me that way.

"I have to do right by my daughter." She continued, her voice beginning to cloud with emotion as she spoke. "And I know that this is _not_ what Sapphire would have wanted."

"You don't need to tell me what she would have wanted."

"Cleary you need reminding if you have decided to drink yourself into an early grave."

"I don't need to be reminded." I told her, my voice on the verge of anger as I spoke. "I know what I said to her."

She stopped and examined me for a moment before she spoke again. "Perhaps you're right. Perhaps a reminder isn't what you need." She paused again, and seemed to be analyzing her words carefully. "You've done things, haven't you? Seen things? You've watch people that deserve death go free, and those who don't deserve it receive it. By now I'm certain that you've come to the same conclusion as me. God isn't real, and the world isn't fair. But before this I've never seen you drink. Despite all of the horrors you've witnessed, and all of the things you've done to others, alcohol was never an option for you. Until now. Why the sudden desire for intoxication?"

"You mean besides my wife's death?" I replied immediately.

She sighed before she spoke again. "I know it's hard." She murmured. "She was a good girl. Beautiful in so many ways. I raised her to be that way. She and Pearl were my crowning achievements. They understood how this world was and yet somehow still remained eternally optimistic. I was concerned when it became time for her to be given away. Concerned that the man she was matched to would damage her, mar her. But you did just the opposite. She blossomed under your care into a beautiful woman. You didn't taint her innocence, you protected it. You protected her from all of this."

"Not well enough, it would seem." I replied.

"You and I both know that the world doesn't favor good. I saw early on that it seems like only the bad people survive. I learned that sometimes you have to become that person if you want to live. You learned that too, I think."

"I learned it a long time ago."

"Then you know why she had to die." She answered me. "Good doesn't survive in this world. It transforms into something else, or it is destroyed."

At her words I cast my eyes to the floor. I had known all along what this world was like. It was why I had wanted to leave. I didn't want to get attached and lose her. I knew losing her was inevitable. I knew that the city wouldn't hold, that it was only a matter of time until something came along and destroyed everything that made the city good. But I had been so happy I had allowed myself to be deceived. I had allowed myself to believe in something that I knew to be false. I had let myself fall in love all over again, only to be reminded why I avoided it in the first place. When Jessie died I swore to myself that I would never know the pain of losing the woman I loved again. I knew that the only way to avoid that pain was to never love again. The world was too hard now, and all of the bright beautiful things in it were always extinguished by a large and dark hand. Losing Sapphire had broken what was left of me. I was less than the shell that I was when I first met her. The pain of losing her clouded over everything else in my life so that it was almost as though I looked on the world like it was covered in a haze. Everything I saw glistened with the dew of memory.

But the pain wasn't why I drank. I almost wanted to feel the pain. It let me know that she had been real, that what I'd felt for her was real. I was drinking for a much darker reason.

My hallucinations had been a problem for a long time. But they were never constant. There was always a lapse in them, some time for me to recover the pieces of my reality and put them back together. That wasn't happening anymore.

"I'm seeing her." I finally admitted. "Sapphire. I've been hallucinating her. It started little at first, just her voice or something out of the corner of my eye. But lately… She appears in full form. She talks to me."

The Queen's eyes widened at my words. "Do you see her now?" She asked me.

I shook my head and tapped my glass with my finger. Liquor was the only thing that stopped the voices in my head as well as my hallucinations. And luckily for me, Immortan Joe had hoarded any liquor he found.

"I understand." She replied, her voice filled with shock. "I never took you for a drinker. But this information certainly explains it."

I responded by sipping on the alcohol in front of me.

Diamond sighed heavily before she spoke. "I know it must be hard for you to have to live with two realities in your mind. One where she's alive and the other where she's dead. But you must learn to control what's happening to your mind. Drinking like this will kill you. And you can't live up your promise if you drink."

"I know." I answered. But my own voice didn't even ring sincere. If it were as simple as telling my mind to turn off I would have done that a long time ago. But it wasn't that simple. My hallucinations had never stopped, not even while Sapphire was alive. She had kept them at bay the majority of the time, but they still came back when I was under extreme stress. After everything that happened in that city I didn't know if I would ever regain control over my mind. But it wasn't just that. Part of me, a rather large part of me, didn't want to stop seeing her. Jessie had long since faded from my active memory. I didn't want to forget Sapphire too.

"You don't want to stop seeing her." Diamond suddenly declared, reading my expression on my face. She stayed silent for a few more moments before she spoke again. "I know it's hard to let go of her. But you have to if you want to move on and be happy again."

"Happy again?" I almost laughed at her words they were so ridiculous to me. "I don't think I will ever be happy again."

"I know it seems dark now. But you have to start to work through it."

I shook my head and looked away from her, and she seemed to understand that our conversation was at an end. She sighed heavily and stood from the table, pausing only to rest her hand gently on my shoulder for a moment before she walked out of the room.

* * *

I was alone now, and night had fallen on the Citadel. Outside I could see the stars that Sapphire loved so dearly beginning to peak from their hiding places. The room I was staying in slowly darkened around me and as it did I lit a candle. As light faded outside, shadows began to dance around me as the candle flickered. Before me my glass sat half empty. I didn't drink from it, though. No, now I waited. I waited and felt myself slowly sobering up. It wouldn't be long now.

"You just can't let me go, can you?"

I exhaled heavily as I heard her voice. It sounded soft and sweet just like it had when she was alive. The sound was still familiar to me. I didn't want it to ever become unfamiliar.

I turned my head and saw her standing across the room. She wore a white dress with thin straps. The same dress she had been wearing when I had given her the necklace. The same dress she had worn before we made love for the first time. She was wearing my necklace too. Her face was framed by her hair, nearly white in its blondeness. My chest tightened as I looked at her. She was so beautiful, and I missed her so badly.

"No." I finally answered back. My voice sounded hoarse and broken when I spoke. "I suppose I can't."

She smiled softly and walked toward me, her dress flaring out with each barefooted step she took. She came before me and stood in front of me. Her eyes met mine, as blue and bright as the last time I had seen them.

No sooner had I thought of the memory than it overtook me completely. I was no longer in my room at the Citadel. I was back on the bridge, with Sapphire dangling just in front of me. She was covered in blood, her white skin marred by the red stains. Her hair was stained with it too, and plastered against her head. Dirt was on her face, on her hands. Her dress was shredded. Her eyes desperate and terrified. I heard her say my name, watched as my fingers barely brushed along hers but just didn't quite reached. I watched her strength give, her mouth open in a desperate scream before she plunged into darkness. As she fell I was suddenly pushed back into reality, back into my room at the Citadel. Her bloodcurdling scream echoed in my mind, and I shook my head to try and rid myself of it. As I did the phantom before me spoke.

"Feeling guilty?" She asked me, her soft voice cutting through the screams. As she spoke the echo stopped, and I looked at her again.

I didn't answer her, but I didn't need to. She already knew what I was thinking.

"You should feel guilty." She stated. Her voice suddenly took a darker, sharper tone as she spoke. "You left me to die."

"I didn't." I answered her immediately. "You asked me to let you go."

"You left me to die in that city. You promised to take care of me, and then you abandoned me."

"I tried to save you. I did everything I could." I answered hoarsely. "You fell. Your family- You made me promise to keep them safe. You told me to leave you."

"You did everything you could?" She mocked me. "Really? So is that why you still see me? Because you did everything that you could? Or is there some guilt gnawing away deep inside of you that knows you could have done more?"

I didn't answer her, just reached forward for my glass. This had been a mistake.

As soon as she saw me reach for the glass she immediately spoke. "Isn't this what you wanted? To see me again?"

"You're not her." I replied. "You're just a ghost."

"You don't believe that." She whispered. She knelt before me and looked up at me. "If you really did believe that you wouldn't do this every night."

"I do believe it." I shot back. "I know you're not real."

"Then why this same ritual?" She asked me, her head tilted to the side as she did. "Why would you do this every night?"

"You know why." I told her.

She smiled softly at me, and as she did I lowered my glass back to the table.

"You're afraid of forgetting me." She answered back softly. "You're afraid I'll fade from your life forever, like Jessie and Sprog. And even a half version of me is better than nothing at all."

"Yes." I answered after several moments of silence. "I do fear that."

"Then don't forget me." She whispered. "You can be with me forever. You know this."

I shook my head. "You're dead. I can't be with you."

"You can be with me." She murmured softly, nodding her head as she did. She reached forward, and her fingers ran along the holster of my gun. "You know how."

"You made me promise I would protect your family." I answered. "How can I do that if I'm dead?"

"How can you do it if you're a drunk?" She shot back at me. She sighed heavily, and when she spoke again her voice had returned to the sweet persuasive tone it would be when she wanted something from me. "Max. You have given enough to this world." She whispered. "There's no need for you to give anymore. Come be with me."

I exhaled heavily and shut my eyes. When she spoke like this it drove daggers through me. Her voice was so sweet, and filled with so many promises.

"I can't." I answered her.

"The day is here." She continued. "The day where we could be together without any fear. Just one more bullet, Max. One more shot fired from your gun. That's all it would take, and we could be together without fear. Forever."

I opened my eyes again and met hers, and as I did she smiled encouragingly at me. "They're here you know. Sprog and Jessie. We're all waiting for you. Just fire your gun one last time. One last bullet for yourself. You've taken so many lives, I know. I know you don't want to kill anymore. But do this for me. Just one more life."

"My own." I answered solemnly.

She nodded and reached forward to me. Her fingers traced along my face, but I felt nothing. I closed my eyes and desperately tried to imagine the feel of her on my skin, but those memories were already gone from me. "I know you want to feel me again." She whispered. "And you can. Just one more life, Max. One more."

My hand slid to my gun, and as soon as I felt my fingers meet with the cool metal she nodded to me. I lingered there for a moment before I took my hand away and instead reached forward and grabbed my glass. I slammed the liquor back, and I immediately saw the dismay on her face.

"Not tonight." I told her as I filled the glass again and prepared to take another shot.

"Do you want to forget me?" She asked me, her voice reaching a desperate pitch. "Is that it? To forget you loved me?"

I ignored her and downed the whole glass again. When I set the glass down on the table and filled it once more, she was gone.

As soon as she was gone my entire body slumped and I felt my sorrow wash over my anew. I couldn't take much more of this. I knew that it was only a matter of time before I gave in to her wishes. After all, they weren't really her wishes.

They were mine.

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A/N: Please, R&R!


	24. Chapter 24: After

A/N: Thanks for reading! Some reviewers to thank,

'jan-rayne','beachchick3','Kei-Kugody','Kaylee00' and my guest reviewer. Thanks so much!

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Chapter 24: After

Two months after Sapphire's capture

I stood on the stone balcony of the Kings Quarters and looked down onto the city. Doctor Stone and I had decided that tonight was a good night to tell Graves. The timeline was acceptable now, my pregnancy would be believable.

Behind me I heard the sounds of Graves rising from his bed and putting on clothes. I turned my head over my shoulder and watched him for a moment as he slipped on a pair of pants. I wondered if he was going to send me away. Some nights after we'd had sex he sent me back to my room. Some nights he wanted me to stay. I knew there were other women besides me, and that he often called them here after I left. I knew that. One of the girls was a half sister of mine. None of these women were my friends, I was alone. When I saw them about the palace I could hear their whispers, their small gossip. They thought they were making the injured wife, that I somehow envied them or that I was jealous or angry about their position in his life. They couldn't be more wrong. My affection for Graves did not extend past what I needed in order to tolerate his presence in the evenings.

I waited to see if he was planning to send me away and call for another woman for the night. When he didn't speak, I knew that meant he wanted me to stay here. I decided to tell him, since he was having me stay. I kept my eyes trained on him carefully. I turned and looked away from him when his dark eyes finally cast a glance in my direction.

I heard the sound of his bare feet as he came up behind me. I felt his arms circle around me and felt his breath tickle my neck as he pressed his lips against the soft skin there. His hands left my waist and moved to the silk robe on my body. He held the blue cloth in his fingers for a moment before he spoke.

"I like the way this looks on you." He stated.

Since I had become Graves' Queen I had allowed for his objectification of me. To him, I was his crowning jewel. The beautiful Queen who made his fantasy of being a King realized. I was what he made me. He chose what I wore now. The silk on my body now was a show of that. Silk was a rare commodity, something that my father would have used only sparingly. This was only a taste of the new and beautiful things that had come into my possession as I had been made Queen. Graves' idea of the perfect Queen is what fueled the way he clothed me. I had to live up to that expectation.

"It's beautiful." I agreed politely.

His fingers dropped the silk and moved to my arms. "But do you like it?" He asked.

Part of Graves' illusion relied on the idea that I was happy here, that I had somehow gotten over everything he had done and that I now wanted to be here. I had picked up on that immediately. When we had sex he was gentle and took his time making sure I was comfortable. When I expressed distaste with something it was immediately removed. Graves wanted to believe that I wanted to be here with him. He needed to believe that in order for his fantasy to be realized. I needed to work on making him believe it. My acting was often not good enough to breach my cold demeanor.

"It's lovely." I replied. My voice sounded hollow even to myself. Once more my acting failed to come through.

He offered a low grumble from his chest in response, and as he made the sound my mind jumped away from this place, to another man that used to make a very similar sound. For just a moment I felt Max's hands on my arms and not Graves. But I pushed that thought from my mind as soon as it appeared. Mourning my husband's absence would not help me now. I still had not heard of his fate since I had been here. I'd been trying to push the dark thoughts away from my mind. I didn't want to believe that he was dead as Graves claimed, but I also could not allow his memory to distract me from my current goal. I quickly blinked away the image of Max's face and tried to regain my focus enough to act as Graves' Queen once more.

I turned to face Graves, and placed my hands on his bare chest.

"I have something important that I need to tell you." I told him.

As soon as I turned to face him one of his hands found their way into my hair. He played with the strands around my face as he responded. "Hm?"

I felt an unneeded nervousness in my chest. I had nothing to be nervous about. As far as Graves knew, I was his devoted Queen. This news would make him happy. I swallowed anxiously despite myself. "I'm pregnant." I finally managed to say.

Graves' expression immediately changed to shock. "Pregnant?" He repeated.

"Yes." I replied. "About six weeks so, it would seem, according to Doctor Stone." The lie flowed over my tongue easily.

I wished that Max was here. I wished I was telling him that I was pregnant. If I was telling Max he would smile and kiss me, he would tell me that he loved me and he would hold me. He would make me feel safe and cherished and promise to protect our family. But this wasn't Max. This was Graves, and he didn't love me. We weren't a family. I was his Queen, his resident broodmare.

Graves stood in shock for a moment before a grin slowly appeared on his face. He moved his hand to my face and stroked along my cheek affectionately. "Sapphire." He said quietly. "My sweet girl. You have made me very happy."

I smiled softly at him, and he continued to stroke my face affectionately. "Ask me for anything." He stated. "It is yours."

Immediately I felt my heartrate increase. I knew exactly what I wanted.

"A handmaiden." I replied almost immediately.

Graves chuckled at my response. "I tell you to ask for anything and you ask for a servant."

"There is a woman… She was my handmaiden before all of this. Her name is May. I miss her dearly."

"Is she still alive?"

"I do not know. But if she is, I would want it to be her."

"Very well." He answered me. He kissed my forehead, and as he did I smiled one of the most genuine smiles I had ever given him.

"Thank you, my King." I told him quietly. He nodded once and walked away from me back into his room. I couldn't help the happiness that spread through me as I thought on this. I needed May for what I hoped to accomplish.

I watched the muscles in Graves' back as he poured himself a glass of some liquor from a decanter. I'd found myself in the best mood I'd been in since I had become Queen, and it was due to him. I was finally safe. Graves believed me to be pregnant with his child, and soon I would have one of my friends back by my side. I decided to use my good mood to my advantage.

I knew that Graves kept other women because I did not love him. He could feel my dislike of him, I knew. He had, since I had become Queen, made an active effort to be kind to me. But my hatred of him went through to my bones, and I was not as careful with my actions as I should be. It was subtle, my distaste, but I knew he could tell. He'd touch me and my whole body would stiffen. Many would-be kisses were deflected by my turning head. I had a habit of immediately leaving him after we'd had sex as well, just as I had done tonight. I would walk away, sometimes to the bathroom, sometimes out here on the balcony. Just to be away from him. He would sometimes get angry at me for it. I could see it in his face. His eyes would darken. He would grit his teeth in frustration with me, and many times I had expected him to yell. But the most I ever got from him was a low, growling "Get out." If I didn't change my attitude soon, I would likely be replaced. Especially if another one of his girls were to fall pregnant. My only benefit to him right now was my ability to bear children and my knowledge of the city. If another were to have these same perks, and also love him, I would be in danger.

I was feeling in this moment more receptive to him than I had ever felt. If I wanted Graves to secure my position here fully I was going to have to put some serious effort into our relationship. And there was no time to start like now, when I hated him less than I normally did.

He'd poured his drink and had moved away to a table where he began to look over several stacks of papers. I walked forward toward him and stood alongside of him. He turned and arched an eyebrow at me. I was breaking our normal routine by approaching him now.

"Thank you." I said quietly.

He sipped on his drink. "For?"

"Keeping your end of the bargain. You have been kind to me. Kinder than I had expected."

"You are the mother of my child." He answered calmly. "You shall want for nothing."

"I am not the only woman who could bear you a child." I said to him quietly. "I know about the others."

He finally turned to look at me as I said this. "You are my Queen now, we have an arrangement. My child with you has superiority."

I wasn't fool enough to believe that for a second. "If you want your children to be by me than why do you call them?" I asked him quietly.

He gave me a warning look, as though I was crossing into territory I was not permitted. But I pushed further, baiting him. "Am I not as beautiful as they?"

"It is not your beauty I find fault with."

"But you do find fault?"

His voice lowered into a growl and his next words were a warning. "That's enough, Sapphire."

"Tell me what I'm doing wrong."

His eyes left mine and drifted back down to the pages before him. I thought he wasn't going to answer, but finally he spoke. "You're cold to me." He stated. "I think that if you hated me openly I would like that more than what you are now. You're silent, distant. No matter how many times I've been with you it never changes." He finally glanced up at me, and when he did he just shook his head. "Even now. You look at me as though I'm nothing to you, no different than the servants who wait on you."

"So that is why you call them?"

"I'd yet to be with a woman who didn't want me. That is, before you. I have to say it has been a most dissatisfying experience."

"You are a warlord."

"I am still a man."

"I have given myself to you as I promised."

He answered me as he finished off his drink. "Your body, and nothing more."

I was silent after he spoke. I thought carefully. I would have to tread carefully if I wanted to pull him closer rather than push him away. His trust was so necessary to me. "You're right." I finally answered. "It has been difficult for me to give myself to you fully."

He looked at me questioningly as I spoke, but didn't say anything himself. So I continued on with my charade. I walked toward him, and he turned his body toward me. "But, things are different now." I told him. "You are the father of my child. You are my protector. This is my life now. I do not wish it to always be this way between us."

"That would require your forgiveness."

I walked toward him and ran my fingertips down his bare chest and abdomen. I looked up into his face, and was immediately met by his dark eyes. I hesitated for a moment before I stood on my tip toes and pressed my lips against his. He was ready for my advance, and immediately pulled my body closely against him. When I pulled away from his lips, I spoke to him. "I am ready to start trying."

He immediately kissed me again, tangling his hands in my hair. And I kissed him back, trying to channel what I remembered of loving and being loved into what I was giving him. My hands went to the tie around my robe, and I undid it quickly and let the fabric come to the floor. Next my hands went to his pants, where the button and zipper were quickly undone. Graves understood my intentions, and immediately grabbed my waist and lifted me. He brushed aside all of the papers on his table carelessly, and laid me back against the surface of the table. He was upon me quickly, and I cried out as he buried himself within me. He began to push into me, and he lowered his body down to me. We locked eyes, and he grabbed a fistful of my hair to keep me looking at him. I don't look at him when we fuck. It is never something I have done. But he looks at me now, and I look back at him. He has one hand tangled in my hair, holding my gaze to him. It is as though he thinks I will suddenly change my mind and turn away from him and that this time will be like every time before it. He looks at me with passion and hunger. He wants to possess me, all of me. And I have to let him believe that he can.

I do notice that I am enjoying this. I'm enjoying sex with him. I'm disgusted with myself because it is him. But I do not want to live in misery. I don't know how long my prison sentence will be, if it will ever end at all. And I'd had sex with him every night since I had become his Queen. I felt traitorous for enjoying it. I felt guilty. But I could deal with my guilt if it meant not looking to each night with misery.

I call out his first name and he kisses me aggressively. When he pulls away, he moves his head to my neck and marks the skin there with his teeth. "You're mine." He growls at me. His eyes return to my face, and he speaks again. "Do you understand? Mine. Say it."

"I'm yours." I lie.

He takes me with increased enthusiasm, and I can practically hear his ego growing. "Fuck yes you are." He hisses at me. He does not last much longer, and I can feel the bruises from his fingertips already as he grips onto me and finishes. His death vice on my body relaxes and he groans as he pulls himself out of me. I don't move from where I am, panting and shaking. I feel his arms grab hold of me, gentler than they were before, and he carries me to his bed. When he climbs in behind me I am surprised but I do not shy away from him. I move toward him, and rest my head on his chest. I can hear his heartbeat, the beat of it still quickened. His fingers move to my hair and he pulls through the strands gently.

We don't do this. This isn't normal for us.

On the rare nights he does ask me to stay, I stay on my side of the bed, as far away as can be allowed. I don't touch him. He occasionally touches me, usually to pull me toward him to have sex once more. But sometimes I feel his fingertips just barely brush down my back or play with my hair when he thinks that I am asleep.

But tonight is different. Tonight I put aside my hatred to work towards my goal. I must play to the human parts of him, no matter how small they may be. He is still a man. Just a man. Just like Max.

"Was that so terrible?" He finally asks me after several minutes of silence.

"No." It's one of the few things I've said this evening that wasn't a lie. It hadn't been so terrible, being with him tonight.

"Sapphire."

I'm still getting used to him saying my name. When Max said it in his gravelly voice it used to send chills down my spine in the best way. He used to say it sometimes when we were alone, when we weren't even talking. He would say my name aloud and it would sound like 'I love you'. When Graves says my name it sounds dark. It sounds sensual. It sounds like what Graves wishes I was.

I look up at him when he says my name because he wants me to look at him. Our eyes meet, and he pulls me toward him to kiss him. I don't shy away, which also breaks our norm. I kiss him, and I can taste him relishing his assumed victory over me. I am a prize, to him. An object that can be won and kept.

He has no idea what I am going to do to him.

He has no idea what I really am.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please leave me a review.


	25. Chapter 25: The Second Necklace

A/N: Thanks for reading!

And special thanks to my reviewers,

'beachchick3','kaylee00','Kei-Kugody' and my guest reviewer.

* * *

Chapter 25: The Second Necklace

May was delivered to me a few days later. She was escorted in by guards and shortly after was left alone with me. We stood apart from each other for a few moments before she walked quickly towards me and embraced me. As soon as I held her, my stone-cold façade evaporated.

"Sapphire you brilliant, brilliant girl." She said to me before she pulled away. "How did you convince him to allow me here?"

"You're my pregnancy gift." I informed her.

"Doctor Stone has filled me in somewhat… He believes himself to be the father?"

"Yes, with absolute certainty." I told her. "He has no idea about Max."

"What about Max? Have you learned of his fate? Of your family?" She continued. "Are they alive or dead?"

"Graves would have me believe they are dead. I will not believe it, though. He has already lied to me once about my husband's death."

May nodded in agreement with me. Her face grew more serious, and she moved closer to me before we spoke again.

"There are those inside of the city who would see Graves' ruin."

"I would see it also." Sapphire answered her.

"I thought you might say that… Jax was getting worried. You're a good actress. He has begun finding those who are against Graves. There are only a few now, but if there were more…"

"Rebellion." Sapphire finished for her. "Tell Jax to keep finding them." Sapphire continued. "But they must be secret, quiet, and safe. And my allegiance with them cannot be known."

May nodded in tense agreement with me.

"Any news on a way out?" I pressed.

May shook her head. "No, I am sorry. We are trying."

I sighed, disappointed, but not altogether surprised. "It's alright." I told her. "There will be a way soon, one way or another. He cannot keep the city shut forever."

"Things have gotten better since you've been Queen." She told me. "The people have noticed."

Under our bargain, I was supposed to help Graves win the city over. I had started by having him take responsibility for his men's brutality in the streets. They no longer did as they pleased, and people were beginning to feel safe again. I had convinced Graves to restart the currency program that existed within the city, as well as advised him to begin large-scale repairs on the city to give people work. Graves caught on quickly to what needed to be done. Soonafter my suggestions he relocated his officers out of the nicer homes in the uppercity they had taken over, and had made use of the Palace's many rooms for his officers. Those homes had belonged to the various scientists and engineers that ran the city, and they had been difficult to comply with new leadership since they had been removed from their homes. With the scientists and engineers back in their homes, they went back to work and the city looking less like a dump. It made sense that the city was coming around.

"It was not all me." I admitted. "He knew already much of what needed to be done, and with my encouragement he saw that it was carried out. But continue to tell the people it was all me. It can't hurt having them on my side."

May nodded in agreement before she changed the subject. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" She asked me. "If Graves finds out about this child, he will kill the baby and you."

"He will never find out." I told her. "Doctor Stone, Jax, you, and I are the only ones who know about this. Let's keep it that way."

"Your secret is safe with me." She told me. "You saved my child's life once, when I meant nothing to you. The least I can do is save yours."

* * *

A few days later I was sitting in my bedroom with May when the door to my chambers was suddenly knocked on very loudly. I heard the sound of it opening and closing quickly, and I immediately recognized the footfalls that came with it.

Graves.

May looked over to me in alarm as she heard his approach. She had yet to see him up close. When he summoned me, he always sent his guards. Visiting my suite himself was unusual for him. I raised my hand to show her to be calm. Graves was usually well tempered when it came to me. Usually.

He was in my room quickly, and he stopped short when he saw I was not alone. He looked at May in mild surprise for a moment.

"Who the hell are you?" He said to her immediately.

I cut in as the old woman immediately ducked her head at his words. His eyes jumped from her to me as I said his name. "Axel, this is May."

"May?" He asked again.

"My handmaiden. I asked for her as my gift."

Recollection came over his face and quickly turned to disinterest. He turned his eyes to May once more. There was silence for several seconds before he spoke. "What the fuck are you still doing in here? Get out."

The old woman immediately scurried out of my bedroom, and shut the door behind her.

"You shouldn't talk to her that way." I scolded him from my bed. "She's a kind woman."

He ignored me completely, and continued to speak. "I have something for you."

"A gift?" I asked him, surprised.

"Yes." He answered. "Come."

I moved from my bed and walked toward him to stand before him. He reached into one of his pockets, and withdrew from it a glimmering necklace. It was far more extravagant than anything I had ever owned. Sapphires and diamonds adorned the necklace, forming a river of glimmering alternating jewels. A large sapphire dangled from its center, surrounded by more diamonds. I was stunned into silence as he held it before me. I had never seen so many precious stones in one place.

"Axel-" I began, completely shocked. It was an extravagant gift. "I don't know what to say. Where did you get this?"

"It came with me, across the ocean. I never thought much for the gold and jewels we had brought with us. After all, they hold little value today." As he spoke, he reached forward to touch the sapphire necklace that already hung around my neck. As he did, I tensed. That was Max's necklace. He had no right to touch it.

"But then I began to notice this." He said to me as he played with the single sapphire. "You always wear it. It occurs to me that a Queen should wear something better."

And just like that, he pulled down hard on the necklace and I felt the chain snap and break from around my neck. And my heart broke with it.

It took everything in my power not to scream as he pulled it away from me, as I felt the broken chain slide over my neck. The stone looked so small in his huge fingers, and the broken chain dangling from it so defeated. I wanted to yank it from his hands.

He tossed the necklace aside. Threw it, so casually. As he did I wanted to lunge forward and snatch it out of the air. It took everything in my power to remain still. I watched desperately as the necklace flew away from us and glittered as it fell through the air. I heard it land, far off and out of my vision.

I wanted to cry. How dare he? How dare Graves touch what Max had given to me- Taint it with his fingers. I was furious, I wanted to scream, I-

"Turn around."

My thoughts were interrupted by Graves' demand. It took everything in my power to turn around obediently and lift my hair for him. As he placed the necklace on me, I felt its weight. It had a weight, unlike the necklace Max had given me. It bore down on my neck, and felt like a collar. When his fingers lingered on my neck and came down to my back I was distinctly reminded of my first interaction with Max. When we had done something so similar so long ago.

I lowered my hair and before I turned to face Graves and I fought hard to regain my composure. I was fighting back tears. Graves had taken and destroyed one of the things I loved so deeply in this world. That was all Graves seemed to do to me.

My mask slid over my face, and before I turned around there was a smile in place of the anguish. As I turned to him my fingers traced over the glittering jewels and my eyes were wide like a child's.

"Thank you. It's so beautiful." I told him.

He kissed my forehead and didn't say anything more. He turned and walked out of my room, leaving the door open as he went. As soon as I heard the front door slam shut I turned in the direction that the necklace had fallen and dropped to my knees. I searched desperately along the floor, trying to find the glimmer that would mean I still had one piece of Max.

When I finally caught sight of it under my dresser I lunged for the necklace and clutched it in my fingers desperately. I half laughed, half sobbed as I held it, and I clutched it back against my chest, back by my heart where it never should have left.

I couldn't hold back anymore. My mask completely evaporated and I broke down. The sobs that came out of my body shook me as they wracked through my bones. My relief at having the necklace again was only matched by my terror at the thought that he just as easily could have pocketed it and I never would have seen it again.

At my brokenhearted sounds May rushed from the other room back into mine.

"Did he hurt you?" Was her immediate and urgent question.

I shook my head and wiped my face hastily. "No. No, he didn't hurt me." I told her as I regained my composure. I opened my hand to show her the necklace and its broken chain.

"Your necklace?" She asked in surprise.

"Max gave it to me." I answered. "Graves broke it, threw it away. I thought he was going to take it from me-"

"It's alright." May consoled me. She wrapped her arm around me and helped me to stand from my place on the floor. "He didn't take it, you still have it."

I nodded, but my heart still ached as I looked at the necklace in my hands. I had no other chains, no way to repair it. Even if I could, wearing it instead of what Graves had given me would be seen as an insult.

"He broke it." Was all I could mumble out. I had no words to describe what I felt at the moment. His collar weighed around my neck, foreign and unwanted. I wanted more than anything to rip off the diamonds and throw them over the balcony. I wanted to fix the broken links on my own necklace, wanted to put it back on my neck.

May guided me back to my bed and pulled back the covers. "You need to rest." She told me. "This stress isn't good for the baby."

I climbed into my bed and she sat beside me, covering me back up as she did. She pet my head and hair gently as I slowly quieted, my eyes never leaving the necklace in my fingers. "I hate him, May." I finally whispered. "I hate him."

"Everything will be alright." Was all she could say.

As she said the words, I wished desperately that I could believe them. But right now, I couldn't see a way that things would still turn out all right.

"I'm going to kill him." I whispered quietly. "I am going to kill him before this is all over."

"Sapphire!" She immediately chastised me. "You cannot say things like that! Someone might hear."

"It's just us now."

"It will not be always. Be careful with your words."

"I'm going to do it. I will kill him."

"You are not a killer." She continued. When I don't respond, she continues with a different subject.

"We should hide it away." She told me. "Max's necklace."

"I don't want to hide it." I replied. "I didn't want to take it off. I don't want it to be hidden away where no one can see it, where I can't feel it."

"It could get lost." She told me. "He could take it away if he catches you with it."

As she said the words I knew she was right. I ran my fingers over the small gem and one last time before I handed the necklace to her.

"We won't put it far." She promised me. She turned to my nightstand, and opened the drawer. She removed a few pieces of plain paper, a pen, and a book before it was empty. I watched as she carefully placed the necklace along the bottom, and covered it with the papers, book, and pen.

"There." She told me as she finished and closed the drawer. "Not far at all. Right beside you as you sleep."

I swallowed, sniffed, and finally nodded. One of the old woman's hands pet my hair, and the other rubbed my back soothingly.

"I know it's hard." She told me quietly. "But you must keep it together. He cannot see you like this. And you cannot say things like that about him aloud."

"I know." I sniffed back. I began to piece together my mask, to pick up the broken pieces that had shattered around me when Max's necklace had snapped. But it was so hard. I couldn't keep the mask together, I couldn't hold it on. "I just want this all to be over." I whispered to her. "I want to wake up tomorrow in my old room, with Max next to me. I want my mother and sisters back. I want to forget that any of this ever happened."

"Soon." She said as she tried to comfort me. "We will find away."

"What if he is dead, May?" My worst fears fell from my mouth finally, the words I hadn't hardly dared to think let alone spoke aloud. "What if Max is already gone and I don't' even know? And every day I just sit here and hope that one day I'm going to see him again and this nightmare will end, but that's just not true at all. And he's really already dead and this is my life now and this is all my life will ever be."

May didn't say anything to me, she just continued the soothing petting of me. Eventually my silence gave way to sleep, and when I woke I saw two guards waiting patiently at the foot of my bed, as May stood by my side, gently waking me.

"My Queen." She said quietly and formally as she woke me. "The King awaits you."

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A/N: Not gonna lie, I got a little emotional when I wrote this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it, leave me a review.


	26. Chapter 26: Hope

A/N: I am so sorry about the long delay! I was out of town for several weeks traveling, then school started again and I've been up to my ears in writing assignments for school. I haven't forgotten about you all, I swear! To make up for it, I've got this mega chapter for you (the largest one I have yet to post for this story), over 6k words!

Thanks to all my fantastic reviewers,

'Kaylee00', 'Beachchick3', 'Kei-Kugody', 'Crazy Redwood' 'Jess', 'The Swan Queen', 'Dixon', 'NicoleAE', 'PinkMuffins', and my four guest reviewers! I was reading all your reviews and I knew I had to get my butt in gear and start writing this again.

Without further ado, here it is. Chapter 26.

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Chapter 26: Hope

Four months since Sapphire's Capture

I was jolted awake by an urgent rapping at the front door.

I immediately closed my eyes tighter and shied away from the sound. Behind me, Graves shifted and pulled me closer against him, apparently as intent on ignoring the sound as I was. Tonight I slept with him, in the King's chambers. This was becoming an occurrence almost every night, now. As my pregnancy had progressed, so had Graves' affection for me, and thusly our relationship.

Graves lay in silence for several more minutes before the knock came again, louder now.

"Piss off!" Came Graves' voice behind me. I smirked just slightly as he said the words. As much as I might dislike his brutish personality, his bluntness often amused me. Graves said aloud the things I only thought in my head.

When the sound continued, I felt Graves move from behind me, out of the bed. I made a sound of protest in response and reached for him, and he let his hand liger in mine for just a moment before he sauntered across the room towards the front door. I listened intently to the sound of Graves walking, and as soon as I heard him begin his descent down the long hallway that connected our room to the rest of the suite I sprang into action. I made no noise as my bare feet padded along the cold stone carefully. I crept into the hall and then down it, just to the edge by the living room. I lingered in the dark corner beside the archway and focused entirely on the living room. I heard the sound of the door opening, and men with heavy shoes entering the room.

"It's four in the fucking morning. I hope you have a good reason for waking me up."' Graves' voice was familiar to me now. I recognized the sound of it instantaneously.

"Do you really think I would have come straight from the field if it weren't important?" I recognized this voice as well. His name was James Doyle, one of Graves' top lieutenants.

"Spit it out then."

"We've found the rest of the family."

Immediately my heart stopped at his words. The family? I knew there was only one family he could be referring to. Mine.

"Lower your voice." Graves hissed back at him. "She's asleep in the room."

There was a long pause, and I imagined the look of disdain on Doyle's face at Graves' words. Doyle was not my biggest fan by any means. He continued regardless, this time in a lower tone. "We've found them." Doyle's voice was so low the words were barely discernable. I inched closer to the doorframe, my ears straining for his whispers. "The remaining daughters, the mother, and the two deathlords that led their escape. They're at the Citadel, just like you predicted."

I almost shrieked with the glee that coursed through my body. My family was alive. Max was alive. _Max was alive_. The father of my child was alive.

"You're certain of this?" Graves asked.

"Of course I'm fucking certain." Doyle snapped back. "Do you really think that I would come here at this hour if I wasn't?"

I waited impatiently to hear Graves' response to Doyle's words, but there was only silence. Instead, I heard Doyle's voice again, increasingly impatient. "Well? Should I lead the assault or would you prefer a quiet assassination?"

I covered my mouth in shock at Doyle's words and felt a sickness rise up in my stomach. A full assault? Assassination? There had to be a way to warn them. I couldn't just let them attack the Citadel! There must be some way, something I hadn't thought of-

Graves' growling voice cut into my thoughts.

"Leave them be." He stated. Surprise reverberated through me at his words. Leave them be? Did he mean leave them completely alone?

Doyle was completely silent for several moments, and I had a feeling he was as shocked as I was. When he finally spoke he repeated the order back slowly, tasting the strangeness of the command with every word. "You want me to leave them alone?"

"Are you fucking deaf? That's what I said, isn't it?"

I heard a sudden and aggressive switch in Doyle's voice. He spoke quickly now, and firmly. "Once the gates are reopened and they realize she is here- once _Max_ realizes she's here- there'll be no stopping him. We thought we killed him in the assault on this place. Hell, we didn't just think it. I would've bet my life the man was dead after the fall that he took. And yet he came back and rescued her entire family with just one other man. He'll come for her again. You know he will. And this time the only way he'll leave without her is if he's dead."

"Are you questioning me, Doyle?"

There was another long pause, and I could practically hear Doyle gritting his teeth before he spoke. "I was merely suggesting we handle this problem _before_ it becomes a problem. Which is inevitable as long as you insist on keeping your… pet."

Graves didn't skip a beat in his response. "Tell me, Doyle. Is the gate open?"

An irritated sigh. "No."

"Has anyone left the city since we took over?"

"No. None other than our men."

"Well then." Graves finished. "It would seem that we are in no imminent danger from any Deathlords tonight. So if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to the sleep that you interrupted. We can discuss this issue again in the morning."

There was a long pause before Doyle answered, and I could almost picture the infuriated face he must be making. When he spoke again, his voice was full of contempt. "I get it. She's a great piece of pussy. The odds of you finding a girl that looks like that now a days are practically nonexistent. But you're letting this girl get to you. She's in your head."

There was silence after Doyle's statement, as though he expected some sort of response from Graves. Graves remained silent, and I imagined his signature look of condescension on his face. When Graves still didn't speak, Doyle pressed onward, clearly irritated by the lack of response. "You killed her family. As far as she knows, her entire family. If she were to suddenly discover that her husband is still alive, what do you think she would do? Do you really believe she would stay loyal to the man that murdered her family over the man that saved what was left of-"

Doyle was suddenly cut off, and I immediately heard the sounds of a struggle. I heard the sound of flesh slamming against flesh, and the pained grunts of a fight. The struggle continued loudly for a few moments, before it became subdued. I chanced a peak around the corner of the doorframe, and I saw Doyle pinned chest-down on the floor by Graves, Graves' knee pressing Doyle's face against the stone. Doyle struggled to escape, but the movements were barely noticed by Graves. When Graves spoke now, there was no patience left in his voice. His voice came out as a low, straightforward, growl.

"You're a good man, Doyle. Loyal. Effective. I would certainly grieve if your skills were suddenly lost to me-

Doyle grunted furiously and interrupted. "Get the hell off of me!"

Graves didn't react, just continued. "-however if you ever talk to me like that again, I will kill you. Do you understand?"

Doyle didn't speak, but instead gave an affirmative grunt. Graves stood, and extended a hand to Doyle to help him. I ducked back into hiding as they stood.

"Was that necessary?" Doyle snapped at Graves.

"Your ego is larger than your ability. So, yes. It was necessary."

"My point still stands. Keeping her here while her family is alive puts us all at risk. And that's on you."

"And my point still stands. The gates are shut, they don't know she's here. We are in a position where waiting till morning to decide is not a drastic notion."

Doyle made a sound of begrudging affirmation, and I took that as my cue that I should return to bed. I snuck back down the hall as quickly as I could, and climbed into the bed quietly. When Graves returned a short time after, I was pretending to be asleep. He climbed into his bed and immediately returned to his place behind me. My back pressed against his chest as he moved next to me, and I felt his fingertips gently trace down my shoulder and arm. If he was still angry from his altercation with Doyle he gave no indication of it now. If I hadn't witnessed the fight myself, I would have never known it had occurred.

I felt him shift behind me before his lips pressed against my shoulder. His beard tickled against my skin, and I shivered and pretended to wake before I spoke to him.

"What did they want?" I asked him, trying to keep my voice muted as though I was stirring from sleep.

"Nothing important." He muttered back, his beard tickling my shoulder as he did.

I ducked my head in an attempt to escape his beard before I rolled over to face him. He had become as familiar to me as Max had once been. Even in this dim light I could place all of Graves' features. I lifted my hand and traced my fingertips over his face. I found the scar that started above his eye and ran down his face and into his beard. I traced along it with my fingers, and then moved my fingertips to his cheek and traced along the hollow space there. His fingers found mine, and he brought my fingertips to his lips and kissed them gently.

Moments like this were what made my life here most difficult. When Graves was cruel or aggressive it was easy to hate him. But the moments like this- The moments when he was gentle and even kind to me- That was what made this difficult. What I had just witnessed in the living room wasn't helping me sort through my mixed feelings for this man. I found that the initial burning hatred I had felt toward him had dimmed over time. I wasn't sure if it was due to me rationalizing my fate, some sort of Stockholm syndrome, or if becoming his Queen had revealed a dimension to Graves' character that I hadn't realized existed. Whatever the reason, the hatred for him that I had initially felt so strongly had slowly dimmed. I hadn't forgotten what he had done, I just consciously pushed those memories to the back of my mind and focused only on how he had treated me since I had become his Queen. Keeping those feelings of aggression at bay helped me significantly with my act. Some days my affection towards him didn't even feel like an act.

I wasn't sure what I had just witnessed in the living room. On one hand, Graves' aggression could be looked at as only a show of power. However, I was more keen on the subject matter that had brought him to anger. Me. More importantly, Doyle's slandering of me. Graves had essentially defended me. I was having a hard time dismissing that fact.

As he kissed my fingertips I gave him a genuine smile. The smile was due to a mixture of things. His actions in my defense, and the information I had just learned about my family. The fact that he had lied to me about their true fate was of little consequence to me. I was used to Graves lying to me. Given the circumstances around our relationship, he had much to keep from me. But I was learning to combat his lying by finding out the truth my own way. The closer I became with him and the better I played my part, the easier it became to find out the truth. He trusted me enough to let me stay the night with him now, and on occasion even stay alone in his room. Since he had begun to allow that, it had become much easier for me to learn what was really going on. I had many tricks to discern the truth, one of which was my careful hallway eavesdropping. But I had also learned to keep my eyes open. Graves' letters, maps, and papers were always strewn about his quarters, and I often let my eyes wander casually over his reports when I was here.

I was so elated about my family being alive, and that Graves had seemingly detracted a possible attempt on their lives, that I decided to reward him somehow for his inadvertent good behavior. It was important that when he behaved how I wanted, that I returned the favor by doing the same. I moved toward him in the dark and kissed him, gently at first, but slowly more passionately. He kissed me back, of course. Surprised somewhat, but not altogether shocked. This behavior from me was no longer unusual. I had gotten better over time, better at my mask. I had learned to channel my emotions to my advantage. Right now I was channeling my happiness at the discovery of my family into my interaction with him. He could only feel the emotion from me, after all, not the source of it.

"What was that for?" He asked as I pulled away from him.

I just smiled as innocently as possible. "I missed you."

He chuckled. Even his laugh sounded dark. "I was only gone a few minutes."

"The bed got cold without you."

"Is that all?"

I nodded and he kissed me, and I felt his fingers brush gently against my thigh and push up the nightgown I was wearing. Soon he was hovering over me, and his hands worked quickly to remove the piece of clothing altogether. "I think I know a way to fix that." He told me quietly. I sat up on my elbows to kiss him again, and he returned my kiss eagerly.

I had expected him to lessen his advances on me once he learned I was pregnant. After all, I assumed he only had me so often to make me pregnant. I realized shortly after I told him of my condition that he had a deep attraction to me that was not going to be halted or sated by my pregnancy. I was his Queen, his property, and he planned to continue to exercise his marital rights to my body. I'd finally come to terms with the fact that he wasn't going to stop wanting me. If anything the idea that I now carried his child made him want me more than before. I didn't look at this as a bad thing. If anything, it was a good sign. A great sign, actually. Whatever I was doing was working. Graves still wanted me, and not just for the child that I carried. My use to him had expanded, and as long as I was useful I would be kept alive.

When I woke up the next morning, Graves was not with me. I yawned and stretched before I got out of bed. I found my nightgown on the floor, where it had been discarded the night before, and slipped it onto my body. I paused to examine myself in a mirror before I went to look for Graves. I could see my baby bump beginning to form, although just barely. I was very tiny already, and as a result the bump on me was also little. I ran my hands over my stomach and smiled just slightly. Max was alive. My baby's father was alive. Doyle was right to be afraid. Everything he'd said was true. As soon as Max knew I was here, he would come for me.

I went into the bathroom and quickly found a brush and began my work taming my hair. I saw that there was already a gown waiting for me in the bathroom as well, and I assumed a servant had fetched one from my room for me. I put the dress on quickly, and Graves' sapphire necklace after that. When I emerged from the bathroom I imagined that I looked every bit as regal as any pre-apocalypse Queen. It didn't take me long to find Graves. He was in the main area of the house, standing beside the dining room table. He was wearing a pair of pants, an unbuttoned shirt, and a disconcerted expression. His eyes were downcast, focused only on the papers on the table in front of him. I had developed a firm respect for the way Graves ran his operation. He was organized, calculating, and kept incredibly detailed notes and maps. I had never asked him myself, but I was almost certain that he had to have been involved in some sort of military operation before this. I noticed also that James Doyle was already with him. Doyle was leaning against the wall, his eyes trained on Graves as my husband examined the papers. Doyle was a tall man (though not nearly as tall as Graves), with broad shoulders and short cut brown hair. He had a hard face and even harder eyes, with a stern jawline and nearly constant look of disapproval. If there was any animosity still existing between Graves and Doyle from their disagreement the night before, I could not tell now.

Doyle noticed me first, and his grey eyes immediately flicked upward and trained on me. I saw several emotions there. Irritation. Suspicion. Disapproval. He didn't trust me worth a damn, and blatantly disagreed with how close Graves and I were becoming. However, I could see in him an immense amount of animosity. He respected Graves, that wasn't the issue. He just had very different views on how they should be running this operation. Doyle didn't think that Graves was wrong for wanting me, but that Graves was wrong for letting me be this close to him. Doyle wasn't necessarily incorrect. Graves' death was never far from my mind. However, I doubted that even Doyle suspected that I might become a murderess. No one here thought me capable of such a thing. But he certainly didn't think that Graves should have ever made me Queen. In fact I believed that if Doyle were the one in charge he would've probably raped and killed me in the same night.

I met Doyle's eyes evenly as I walked into the room. His eyes flicked over my body with mild interest before he looked back at me, head cocked to the side and eyebrow raised. I didn't know what to think of his expression. Condescending? Mocking? Amused? I was certain he was doing it to make me uncomfortable, but other than that I wasn't sure what to make of it. I wasn't entirely sure that I really wanted to know what he was actually thinking. I had thought for a long time that Graves was the worst kind of man. I realized now there were worse men even than Graves. James Doyle was one of those men.

I maintained Doyle's gaze with a deliberately even expression, and eventually the man sniggered at my passive-aggressiveness. Graves looked up as Doyle made a sound, and he immediately caught the staredown between us. Graves extended his arm toward me, beckoning me toward him, and as soon as he did I broke my gaze with Doyle and walked into the safety of his arms. The irony of this was not entirely lost on me, but there was little else I could do. Graves was my captor, but he was also my most fierce protector in this place. He wrapped his arms around me as I walked into his chest, and I felt him press his lips against my hair before he spoke.

"I've some things to discuss with Doyle." He told me quietly. "I'll send for you later."

I knew that the reports sitting before him were most likely about the Citadel, and the remaining members of my family. As tempting as it was to glance down and attempt to read them, I knew that doing so in front of Doyle would be a mistake. I didn't want to fuel his suspicions of me.

I nodded to Graves, and when I did I felt him smile. He pressed his lips against my head again. "Good girl. Off you go."

I walked away from Graves and toward the front door. Doyle opened the door for me with exaggerated care. "Your majesty." He drawled at me as I passed him. I didn't give him the satisfaction of a response or a glance, and quickly brushed past him.

Outside Graves' door, two guards were waiting. They immediately fell into step behind me as I walked along the hall. I was allowed to roam the palace freely now. Well, somewhat freely. I was free to go wherever I wanted, as long as I had a guard with me. I eventually made my way to my room, and as I entered the room my guards waited outside of my door. May was already inside my room when I shut the door behind me.

We both knew what to do. We walked simultaneously toward my bedroom, and I shut and locked the door behind me immediately.

"Sapphire." May began immediately, her voice practically glowing from excitement as she spoke. "I have tremendous news for you."

"And I for you." I replied quickly, my own excitement at my news bubbling over. "You first." I told her, certain her news couldn't possibly trump my own.

"We have found a way out!" She immediately exclaimed.

My eyes flew wide open in shock. "What?" I asked, completely baffled by what she had said. A way out? It sounded like she meant there was a way out of the city, but that couldn't possibly be right.

"We have found a way out of the city." She repeated to me again.

"I don't understand." I stuttered back, overwhelmed by this news. "How is this possible?"

"A smuggler." She shot back. "There is a man who has been smuggling goods in and out of the city through the sewer system for months, we've just found him. He says he has a gyrocopter hidden in the mountains."

"I can't believe this." I muttered out.

"I know. I could hardly believe it myself." May replied.

"Is he trustworthy?" I asked her.

"Jax seems to believe so." She replied.

Even as she told me there was a way out, I knew that I would not be leaving this city. We had realized long ago that any escape attempt I made would be futile. As long as Graves was alive, and as long as he believed me to be pregnant with his child, he would never let me go. Even with a gyrocopter speeding me away, Graves would not rest until I was found. I would be bringing an insurmountable amount of danger with me wherever I fled. And when I was inevitably captured by Graves, any progress I had made toward him trusting me would be completely shattered. I would no longer be his Queen. I would become a slave.

Despite this realization, we'd still been searching for a way out. A way out meant a way to communicate, to send messages. A message to Max, for example, telling him that I was still alive. And if there was a way out to bring out a message to Max, then that meant there was also a way to bring Max back _in_. And if there was a way for Max to get back in, there was a way for Graves to be killed.

That was the only way I would ever truly be free. The day that Axel Graves ceased to be alive would be the day that I became free. Our plan had become entirely centralized on that singular idea. Finding Max, telling him I was still alive, and hoping to God that he was furious enough to come back and kill Graves.

For months now we had been working carefully. Jax had been recruiting in the shadows, slowly joining people to our cause. Our numbers had swelled to just over two-hundred. Two-hundred able-bodied individuals that believed Graves deserved death, and that were willing to deliver it to him. Certainly no army. But as an insurgent force already present inside of the city, it was pretty powerful. It was our hope that in the confusion after Graves' death, this small number would be enough to open the gates and give the townsfolk a chance to leave the city unopposed if they wished it.

Our plan hinged on Graves' death. And that would happen, one way or another. Once we'd found the way out, we intended to search for Max. If we couldn't find him, our backup plan was that I would kill Graves myself. I was the one closest to him, it would be easiest for me to accomplish. But I had hoped that it would never come to that.

I hated Graves. I hated him for what he did to my family, my city. I hated him for killing so many with so little regard for their lives. But despite all of this hatred, Graves had slowly grown on me. He was kind to me, and to the child he believed to be his. He treated me well as his Queen, he kept me safe. Through growing close to him, I was finally learning the truth about this world. Morality was not black and white, but rather a fluid and ever-changing entity. There was no such thing as 'good' people and 'bad' people. There was only a million shades of gray in-between. I had learned that Graves was certainly not the worst kind of man that existed in this world, and though he may be on the darker end of my 'good and evil' spectrum, he was certainly no psychopath. Graves killed to further his goals, and found no pleasure in what he did. His cruelty was out of a desire to hold power. Anything he did, anyone he killed, was to ensure that he gained or maintained his power.

At first I had thought that his ability to kill so easily was what made him evil. But I realized now that what Graves did was not truly _evil_. He didn't kill because he enjoyed it, but rather because he recognized killing as a means to an end. This didn't make him a good person in my eyes, not by any means. I still found him cruel, still believed that the bloodshed he caused was unnecessary But I was now able to understand what drove him, and what drove him was not an intent to cause pain, but to gain power. Graves' demeanor was a side-effect of this world. Like Max, Graves had also learned over time to rationalize the mass amount of death in this world into his own favor. They'd both learned that killing was the only way to survive in this world. The difference between them was only in their choices on who and why they killed, and how it affected them after. Graves killed for power. He killed to express his power over others, to gain power, or to defend his power. Killing was the method he chose to enforce his power, but not something he did entirely without conscience. Max, on the other hand, killed to keep himself and the people he cared about safe. As long as he killed within this requirement, he felt no remorse for their death. It was the reason he was able to kill the man that threatened me at the Outpost. It was the reason he was able to kill attackers of the city without it keeping him up at night. Max only felt remorse for undo deaths. Murders from his past, committed out of vengeance rather than need. Deaths of people he hadn't been strong enough to save. These were what kept him up at night. And so, while Max was also a killer I knew that did not make him innately evil.

If anything, my new understanding of Graves was only because I had seen a true sociopath now in James Doyle. I had initially mistaken Graves' aggression as bloodthirst, but I realized now what I was really witnessing was a thirst for power, and the consequences of what he did to realize his power. Doyle, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. I'd seen the people he brought in as prisoners, what he'd done to them. I'd sat in the throne room beside Graves as Doyle had proudly brought forth his interrogation victims, people mutilated and barely clinging to life. In my time here, I'd learned that Doyle had been responsible for the crucifixion of our Deathlords and officers. He was the one that had carried out the interrogations of these men. I hadn't realized during the attack, but through Doyle's interrogations Graves had learned everything he ever needed to know to take our city. The layout of the city, the palace, even the structure of our gates. It was why they had gotten in so quickly, how they had manipulated our own city against us in the battle.

Before Doyle, I'd thought that Graves was truly evil, that there was nothing worse than him. James Doyle had proved me utterly and entirely wrong. For Doyle, killing wasn't just something through which a higher goal was achieved. Killing _was_ the goal for Doyle. He truly enjoyed watching people die. He enjoyed the process of killing them, of studying their pain, and how the reality of an imminent and painful death affected people. He was truly without conscience. His only goal was to kill. It was what (in my mind) made him impossible as a leader, and ensured he would always be underneath of Graves. He lacked direction in his violence, lacked a goal beyond the death right before him. But his psychopathic nature made him ideal as one of Graves' top lieutenants. He would never question why he needed to kill, and never feel remorse upon completing the murder. He was a truly evil person. Graves was just smart enough to use someone like that in his own favor.

I didn't want to have to kill Graves. The red-hot anger that I had once felt had now cooled inside of me. I still wanted him to die, still thought he deserved death. But I did not want to be the person that delivered it to him. He needed to pay for what he had done to my family, and to this city. But I could no longer find it within myself to commit the deed. He had been kind to me since he had taken me prisoner, kinder than he needed to be and kinder than any of his men would have been. This kindness was blurring my feelings toward him. It was making me see a man where I had only seen a monster. I was sure I hated what he had done. To me, to my family, and to this city. But the man himself? I wasn't so sure anymore. Being this close to him was forcing me to accept a depth to his character that I didn't want to believe was there. His cruelty to the world around him was disturbing to say the least. But inside of his room, alone with me, I could hardly believe it was the same man that had put my father and brothers to death.

Ultimately, if it really came down to it, I would kill Graves myself. He had done too much, gone too far, to ever receive true forgiveness from me, and I owed it to the people of the city to free them from his tyrannical rule. But, if Max could do it instead, I would prefer that. I was sure Max would, too.

I was jerked back to May and I's present conversation when she spoke again.

"We can look for him now. For Max, for your family. We can at least find out if they are alive."

"There's no need to search." I told her. "That's my news."

"You mean to tell me…?"

"Yes. They're alive. I overheard a conversation between Doyle and Graves last night. They are at the Citadel, alive and safe. For now at least."

"Does Graves mean to attack?" May pressed.

I paused, pondering my words before I said them. "I'm not entirely sure… Doyle, of course, was ready to kill them as soon as possible. But Graves wouldn't give the command."

"What do you mean he wouldn't give the command?"

"Just that." I replied. "He told Doyle to leave them be. For now, at least. When I left this morning, I'm certain they were discussing it further. Doyle was… displeased with Graves' decision to say the least."

May made a face as I spoke. "Well I imagine so. If it doesn't involve killing, Doyle disapproves."

"We need to be careful." I told May. "Very careful. Doyle has never been my biggest fan, and something tells me he grows more suspicious of me by the day. I wouldn't be surprised if he began snooping into my affairs more closely. The more freedom Graves gives me, the more closely Doyle watches."

"He may be a twisted bastard but he's quick as a whip, I'll give him that. He doesn't miss a thing."

"Exactly. That's what's got me worried. They fought last night, too… Doyle and Graves."

May's face darkened with concern. "Do you think Doyle intends mutiny?"

I thought for a moment before I answered. "No. Or, not yet at least. Graves still has the popularity with his men. And I think they still respect each other, or at least Doyle respects Graves' strength. But the fact that they fought at all is concerning. If Graves were to get hurt, or if he lost his popularity… I can't say what would happen. Doyle might try to kill him and take his place." I didn't want to think about what would happen if Graves was killed and Doyle took over. I would certainly be killed. And then it wouldn't matter that we had found a way out, or found Max.

"Don't think like that." May immediately scolded me. "Graves is in charge. He'll protect you from Doyle as long as he's alive.

I nodded hesitantly, and May reached forward and joined arms with me. We walked out of my room, and onto the balcony overlooking the city. The city still sounded as it always had. The fans churned, water poured out of the walls, and braziers still crackled down below. It was a humbling moment. No matter what happened to us, the city still lived on. It sounded the same as any time I had ever stepped outside before Graves' arrival. As I stepped onto the balcony, I was flooded with a memory. I remembered sitting out here with my mother, when it was still her room. I remembered our fear as we spoke of Graves, about whether or not he planned to attack our city. I remembered being called into the throne room for our audience with Graves. I hadn't known it then, but I had just met the man that would destroy every semblance of my previous life.

When we finally stopped at the edge of the balcony, May spoke once more.

"We'll need to take time to plan the trip, take extra care to make sure our smuggler knows very little. It's been decided Jax will go with him, he will deliver the message. Your mother knows him. He's strong enough to make the trip, unlike me, and his absence won't be noted like Doctor Stones would. We don't want anything getting back to Graves. If he catches wind of our destination he will know what we are after. Also, our smuggler has said he expects to be paid handsomely for all of this.

I sighed. Of course he would need to be paid extremely well, especially if we wanted him to keep quiet about all of this. "I'll find something to reimburse him for his troubles."

"We have time. We'll figure it out." May assured me.

I nodded again. When I didn't speak, May filled the silence with her voice instead.

"You know, if someone had told me a year ago that I would be friend ti Queen Sapphire and plotting to overthrow the King, I would've told them that the radiation must have gone to their head."

I laughed dryly at that. "I'm sure you're wishing I had never overheard you begging for your son's medicine."

May shook her head. "No, no, I would never wish that… That medicine saved his life. You saved my child's life, I'm going to save your child's life too. Although, I will admit my life was much simpler before all of this political intrigue."

"I'm starting to think that being royalty is highly overrated."

May laughed. "It's always been highly overrated, dear."

* * *

A/N: Thanks! R&R!


	27. Chapter 27: The Bracelet

A/N: Thank you for everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Sorry about the delay on this one, but because of the nature of the next couple of chapters I wanted to write the next three before I published this one, just to make sure I wouldn't be contradicting myself on anything. This will probably be my last 'chill' chapter, so to speak. Everything starts speeding up towards the finale at this point. There's not much left in my story.

Thank you to my reviewers,

'beachchick3', 'NicoleAE', 'kei-kugodgy', 'htennis', 'Crazy Redwood', 'Sassa', 'kaylee00', 'Spanish Angel', 'swordmaster6353', 'ozlady80', and my guest reviewer. Your reviews mean the world to me.

Here's chapter 27, a much needed check-in with Max and the family before shit really starts to hit the fan.

* * *

Chapter 27: The Bracelet

I pushed the door open slowly with the toe of my boot, being careful to be as silent as possible. As the door opened, I glanced behind me and received a nod from Furiosa.

I walked into the room quickly, my gun pointed as I did. I heard the muffled footsteps of Furiosa and Marcus behind me as I moved through the room. I paused as I reached a second door, and stood against the doorframe as I listened.

There were quiet voices on the other side of the door. I lifted three fingers as I looked at Marcus and Furiosa, letting them know that I'd heard three unique voices on the side of the door. Furiosa nodded to me, and I counted to five in my head as I prepared to kick the door in. The door flew wide open as I kicked it, and the world seemed to move in slow motion for me. I shot one of the men before he ever stood up from the table. I shot the second man as he was standing. Furiosa killed the third man.

As his body fell to the ground, we walked into the room. Marcus walked forward and looked in the faces of the men.

"These are them." He affirmed. "The men that hit our supply convoy."

"Then the supplies must be here somewhere." Furiosa replied. "Check around."

No sooner had Furiosa spoke, then Sapphire's voice in my head cried out in warning.

"Max!"

I whipped my head around to see Sapphire standing next to an open door. As my eyes landed on her, I noticed the movement beyond the door. A man, gun raised, pointing directly at Furiosa. I raised my gun and fired, and our guns went off simultaneously. The man crumpled to the ground as my bullet collided with him. I turned back to look at Furiosa, and she was holding her arm.

"You alright?" I asked her.

"I'm fine." She answered. She pulled her hand away from her arm to reveal that the bullet had only grazed her. "I wouldn't have been if not for you though. How'd you know he was there?"

My eyes flicked back over to the door, where Sapphire's apparition was standing. "Intuition." I muttered out.

I'd finally stopped drinking. Well, drinking constantly at least. Some nights when I lay alone in my bed the voices become too much, which would then compel me to drink. But for the most part I'd kicked the nasty habit. As a result, my hallucinations were with me all the time. Since I'd stopped drinking, Sapphire had become a constant presence in my life. I saw her ghost more often than I didn't. But, as my attitude slowly grew more positive, so did my apparition of Sapphire. I'd gotten over the suicidal thoughts that had once haunted me. I no longer wanted to die. It would seem that my will to survive was as strong as ever.

I tried not to stare at the vision of Sapphire that had appeared, but it was difficult. Today she was dressed for the occasion; she wore the same clothes that she had worn with me when we'd pursued Opal so many months ago. Her veil and hood was up, covering most of her face. But she was still so beautiful to me. Her eyes glowed out from the dark hood, crystalline and dazzling. I met her eyes for just a moment before Sapphire's apparition walked from the door to stand next to me. I averted my eyes as she did, back to the floor. I tried my best not to follow her movements with my eyes. If Marcus and Furiosa knew I was hallucinating this terribly, I doubted they would let me along for these little endeavors. The last thing I wanted was to be cooped up at the Citadel. Only Diamond knew of my hallucinations, and I planned to try to keep it that way.

"Well let's keep our eyes open for any more of them." Marcus commented. "I doubt there are any more. But just in case."

I nodded in agreement, and shortly after we split up to search the abandoned warehouse for our supplies. As we did Sapphire walked close behind me, like she did when we were at the outpost. We walked through the building, and I paused as I suddenly caught sight of my reflection in a mirror. I looked vastly different from when I'd been at the Stone City. I'd let a thick beard grow on my face, and my hair was growing out now as well. I didn't have anyone to impress here, and as a result my grooming had suffered. I noticed that my beard was beginning to gray. The silver strands mixed in with the reddish-brown of the rest of my beard. My hair was turning at the temples as well. I knew I must be getting old, but my exact age had long since been lost to me.

I turned away from my reflection and continued to press into the building. I pulled out a flashlight as we began to walk into a darkened part of the building. I entered a room that was completely empty aside from some shipping crates, and I began to search the crates. I felt a small sense of satisfaction when I realized that these were our missing supplies. But also in the room were other supplies. It appeared they'd been stockpiling. I went through the other crates as well, noting items that we should take back that would be of good use to us. Sitting in a pile inside one of the crates was a small box. I opened it, and inside I found a simple pearl bracelet.

I held up the piece of jewelry in front of me, shocked I'd made such a find in the first place.

"For Pearl?"

I turned my head at the sound of Sapphire's voice, and noticed that she had removed her hood and veil. Her blond hair now fell in a long sheet about her shoulders and back, and as I saw it I was taken back for a moment. Even as my ghost she was stunning.

She walked forward and knelt down next to me and examined the bracelet as well. "You can give it to Pearl." She repeated. "Like you did with me." She reached about her neck and tugged the chain that held her single sapphire out from under her shirt. She showed it to me and spoke. "I think she would like that. It's something that can still connect us, despite…"

I cut her off by snapping the box shut loudly. I nodded once to her before I shoved it in my pocket and stood abruptly.

I heard the sound of heavy footfalls, and turned to see Marcus standing in the doorway to the room. "Found them?" He asked me.

"Yeah." I replied. "Some other supplies too."

"Let's get it loaded up."

We spent the remainder of the day loading the supplies onto our war rig. All the while, Sapphire was by my side quietly supervising. I was strapping down the last of the cargo when Furiosa approached me.

"Max."

"Hmph." Sapphire's death and my sobriety had seen a regression in my desire for speech.

"I just wanted to tell you that it's good to have you back."

I paused in my task to look over at Furiosa, but didn't speak. She continued instead.

"It's good to know I have someone capable out here with me."

"You've had Marcus." I finally growled in reply.

"But it's you I trust with my life."

I immediately averted my eyes from her and set back to tightening the straps securing the supplies. Furiosa seemed to take the hint, and after a moment of hesitation she walked back towards the front of the rig.

"That wasn't very polite." Sapphire chimed from my side. I cast her an irritated glance before I hopped down from the back of the rig. She followed right behind me and didn't let up. "You know it's ok, right Max? I want you to be happy-"

"I was happy." I cut her off with a hissing whisper. "I was happy with you."

"But I'm not here anymore. Are you just going to be alone forever?"

"That's the plan." I answered back.

"So that's just it? You lost me and now you're gonna give up?"

"I learned my lesson with Jessie. I was stupid enough to try again with you, and I was reminded very quickly why I had decided not to love in this world. Too many people die. I'm not so eager to have my heart broken again." I muttered back.

This seemed to be enough to silence Sapphire for now. I walked to the cab of the war rig and opened the door. I climbed into the back, behind Marcus and Furiosa. When I turned to close the door, Sapphire was gone.

* * *

We arrived back at the Citadel as the sun was beginning to set. I hopped out of the rig, and the former war boys got to work unloading the supplies from our trip. I didn't linger at the supply bay- I had another place I needed to be.

I climbed the stairs up the first tower of the Citadel until I reached a familiar door. I knocked twice and waited patiently. When it opened I was greeted brightly by Diamond.

"Max!" She exclaimed excitedly.

I nodded once to her, and she moved to the side to let me in. She shut the door behind me quickly before she turned to lead me into the room.

"Pearl!" She called out as we walked toward the large window of the room. "Pearl, it's Max. He's come to see you."

I walked forward hesitantly. I didn't like coming here. It made the pain fresh every time. But I'd made a promise to my wife that I had to keep. Since I'd stopped drinking I'd made an effort to come here just about every day, at least for a few minutes.

In a corner of the room, Caleb was playing quietly with a few toys. But the young boy wasn't why I was here, and neither was his mother. Pearl was sitting in a large armchair, facing away from me. Her gaze was fixed forward to the window and she didn't move even as her mother called her name. We walked around to the front of the chair, and as I saw Pearl my heart sank.

She was so thin. Skeletal in appearance. She'd stopped eating after we'd arrived at the Citadel. When she did eat, it was only meager portions. Her eyes were sunken in and dull looking, and all the health she'd had in the city had diminished. Her hair looked dull, but it appeared as though she'd let someone brush it today. I couldn't see the worst of her, her legs or her ribs. She was covered in a large blanket today, and it was tucked carefully about her frail form. Her arms still rested on top of the blanket, thin and fragile looking like toothpicks. I swallowed uncomfortably at the sight of her.

Diamond pulled her chair back next to her daughter and immediately reached forward to take Pearl's small hands in her own. Pearl's eyes didn't leave the horizon.

"Pearl, darling." Diamond whispered. "Look, it's Max. You remember him of course?"

Pearl lifted her head listlessly and her eyes met mine. They were blue crystals, so much like her sister's. But they were so dull. Pearl had lost the will to live since we'd arrived at the Citadel, that much was obvious to me. She'd stopped talking shortly after we'd left the Stone City. She hadn't spoken a word since.

"Hello Pearl." I greeted her while trying not to let emotion cloud my voice. Sapphire had warned me that Pearl would need someone when we'd gotten out. I'd been so caught up in myself and my own pain that I'd forgotten my promise. I often wondered what would have happened if I'd made more of an effort when we first came here.

She didn't respond to me, which I expected. She never spoke to me when I came here. She looked at me listlessly for a moment before she turned her eyes back to the horizon. Back in the direction of the City.

Diamond cast an anxious glance at me before she turned to look back at her daughter. "Max went on a trip, that's why he's been gone. He's just come back, and the first place he came was here. Isn't that nice dear?"

Pearl didn't respond.

Unfazed, Diamond continued talking. "How was your trip Max? Productive?"

I nodded once and rummaged in my pocket. My fingers found the small box in my pocket and I hesitated anxiously before I pulled it out of my pocket. "I found this." I stated. I fidgeted with the box for a few moments before I extended it to Pearl. "I brought it back for you."

She looked up at me quicker than she ever had before, and for a moment her eyes sparkled with interest. She reached one gaunt hand toward the box and took it from me. I didn't think her fingers were going to be able to hold the box they were so tiny, but she held onto it and brought it into her lap. Her fingers lifted the latch carefully and she opened the box.

The pearl bracelet sat in a circle, waiting for her. I saw the surprise in her face as she looked at it, and her fingers hesitated just above the bracelet.

"A pearl bracelet." Diamond muttered out in shock. She lifted her eyes to mine, and I saw tears glistening behind them. If my gift didn't have any effect on Pearl, it certainly had an effect on her mother. "Thank you, Max."

I nodded once, and as I did Pearl's small fingers traced over the pearls.

"Now you have something too." Diamond said quickly to her daughter. "Sapphire had her necklace, and you have your bracelet. You can remember her with it."

Pearl finally lifted the bracelet carefully and placed it in her palm. She brought it closer to her face to inspect it before she extended it toward me. She met eyes with me as she did, and my heart skipped a beat. This was the closest thing to an interaction that we'd had since we'd been here.

"Would you like me to put it on?" I asked her.

She nodded once. I took the bracelet from her hand and clasped it around her wrist. It fell down practically to her elbow, her arms were so thin. But she lowered her arms back down to her lap and slid the bracelet to where it should be.

"Do you have anything to say to Max?" Diamond asked, her voice gently persuading. I could hear the hope in her voice as she spoke. I knew she'd give anything to hear Pearl talk again. She'd already lost so much. Tyrus, Colt, Emerald, Sapphire. Now it seemed as though she was going to lose Pearl too.

Pearl averted her eyes from me and bowed her head. Her platinum hair shielded her face from both myself and her mother. She shook her head quickly, and as she did I heard Diamond let out a disappointed sigh.

"It's alright." I told Diamond quietly. Diamond nodded quickly in response before she lifted her hands to her eyes and quickly wiped at them. I heard her sniff quietly and my heart broke for her. As I looked at the two women before me, clearly still hurting so badly, and I couldn't help but to feel like I had failed Sapphire. I'd promised her that I'd take care of her family. It didn't feel like I was doing that right now.

I lingered for another moment before I took a step away from the two women. "I should get going." I finally muttered.

"Of course." Diamond replied. She stood quickly and smoothed her clothes as she did. "Thank you for visiting us, and for your gift. It was very thoughtful."

I nodded and turned toward the door, and Diamond walked with me to escort me out. We'd just reached the door when a small voice interrupted us.

"Wait!"

The tiny feminine voice pierced the silence of the room. Immediately Diamond whipped her head around to look at the chair that Pearl was seated in. I looked there too, shocked. Perhaps we had both imagined the sound?

Diamond looked between me and the chair urgently before she took a few steps towards the chair.

"Darling? Did you say something?"

Pearl stood from the chair, and as she did the blanket around her crumpled to the floor. She turned and walked toward us slowly, and as soon as she did Diamond walked forward to help her stand. The white dress Pearl was wearing hung about her like a tent. Her eyes rested on me as she walked forward, and her fingers desperately held onto the pearl bracelet to keep it from sliding right off of her thin arm. She paused in front of me for a moment before she took a step forward and wrapped her tiny arms around my waist.

"Thank you." I heard her whisper into my chest.

I was too shocked to react at first, but after a moment I found words. "Of course." I answered finally. "If you ever need anything, you need only ask." I told her. She nodded into my chest before she took a step back from me.

Pearl turned to look at her mother next and spoke to her as well. "Will you help me back to my chair?"

Diamond seemed to be in an equal state of awe as myself. She hesitated for a moment before she pulled her daughter toward her and hugged her. "Of course I will." She told her, petting her hair as she did. When she pulled away from her she reached her hand forward and petted her daughter's face affectionately. "You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice again."

Pearl gave her mother a small half smile before she spoke again. "I miss Sapphire." She finally squeaked out.

At Pearl's words I felt a dagger go through my heart. I saw Diamond glance at me, and I knew my pain must be painted all over my face.

Diamond took her daughters hands in hers and petted them affectionately. "I do too." Diamond finally answered. She glanced over at me before she continued. "We all do. But that's why we need to keep on living. Because as long as we're alive, she is too. Her memory is. And I think that living the best life possible, and finding happiness again after all of this is how we can honor her memory."

I nodded in agreement. "Your mother is right."

"I'm going to try to be better. For her." Pearl finally replied.

"That's all she would have wanted. For you to be happy." Diamond answered. "Now, come. Let's get you settled down again. You haven't been doing too much, I don't want you to over-exert yourself." Diamond began to guide Pearl back to her chair. As she did I turned to slip out of the room, but Diamond caught me mid knob turn.

"Max! I'd speak to you in private for a moment before you go."

I gritted my teeth. I should've known I wouldn't escape this without a lecture. I nodded grudgingly as she finished helping Pearl. When her daughter was safely seated, Diamond turned her attention to me. She opened the door and gestured that I should walk outside. I stepped into the hallway, and waited patiently for her to reemerge. As I waited, I was joined by the visage of Sapphire. She leaned against the wall beside me and offered me a few words.

"Please be polite to my mother." She told me firmly.

I was mildly offended. "I'm always polite." I responded immediately.

She raised an eyebrow at me and pursued her lips.

"What?" I replied.

"You are not always so nice." Sapphire informed me.

"As long as this doesn't turn into a pep talk we'll be fine."

Sapphire opened her mouth like she was going to respond, but she didn't get to. The door opened , and Diamond emerged from her room.

As soon as she had shut the door, Diamond spoke. "Thank you, Max. For brining that bracelet to Pearl."

I was rather surprised at her statement. I'd expected her to lecture me. That's usually what these conversations turned into.

"I thought she could use something to cheer her up." I answered.

"Well, you thought right. I was beginning to think I'd never hear her speak again."

"Glad I could help." I turned on my heel to end the conversation, but Diamond grabbed hold of my arm to stop me. I turned around with a raised eyebrow, clearly irritated.

"I know, I know, you hate my motivational talks." She immediately replied.

As soon as she'd said the words I cast my eyes over to Sapphire. She only shrugged her shoulders innocently, leaving me to respond myself. "I think that might win understatement of the year."

"But-" Diamond stomped on, ignoring my condescension. "you could use with taking your own advice. You just told Pearl I was right. Why won't you take my advice for yourself?"

"I am taking your advice. I've stopped drinking. I go out on runs now."

"But you're not happy." She finished.

"And what, you are?" I shot right back at her.

"I'm… dealing with things. Trying to move past them. Trying to move forward. It's at least a start. You should try to do the same. Try to move past the City."

"You mean well. I get that. But asking me to forget about everything that happened is a bit much."

"I know. I just- I wish there was more I could do to help you. You've done so much for this family. I would see your happiness return."

"Taking care of your girls gives me purpose. That's all I need for now."

Diamond sighed but finally nodded in consent. "Very well. I understand. May I offer you one more bit of advice?"

Sapphire spoke again to me, emphasizing her words. "Be. Nice."

I sighed and tried to keep the words 'be nice' in my head as I spoke. "I have a feeling you're going to tell me regardless."

Diamond didn't miss a beat. "You need a haircut. And a shave."

My hand traveled to my beard self-consciously. I scratched at it a moment before I replied. "What's wrong with my beard?" I knew I needed a haircut. But I'd started to grow fond of my facial hair.

"At least trim it." She replied. "It's starting to look like a cat has made its home on your face."

I grunted in response, and Diamond laughed. "I don't mean anything by it. Only that we're starting to forget what your face looks like."

"I'll consider it." I replied. That was a lie. I had no intention of shaving or trimming my beard anytime soon.

"Thank you again, Max. For everything." Diamond told me. I nodded, and she reentered her room. I turned down the hall and began the walk back to my own room.

* * *

Thanks! Leave me reviews! And begin to prepare yourself for what is to come.


	28. Chapter 28: Time

A/N: I'm not gonna pretend that I just sat and worked on this chapter for a year. Life caught up with me. Sorry for the super late update. Also my writing style has changed somewhat since my last update. What's sad is that this chapter has existed for some time and I just hadn't uploaded it. Anyway, here's the latest update—hope you all enjoy it. Hopefully I can power out these last few chapters and finish the novel out since we are nearing the end of our journey. As always leave a review, I love them so much.

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Chapter 28: Time

It had been days since I had seen Graves. I'd last seen him the morning after I'd learned my family was still alive. He'd told me he would send for me later, and that had been nearly five days ago now. Since I'd become his Queen, the longest I'd gone without seeing Graves had been no more than a couple of days. This was highly unusual.

I paced anxiously in my room, wondering what could have gone wrong. A million ideas were running rampant in my mind. My greatest fear was that Graves was long gone, on his way to murder my family. As much as I tried not to think about this, it was the only thing I could picture in my mind. If that was what Graves had vanished to go and do, then I prayed to any God that Max killed him and protected my family.  
May arrived at my room to find me standing on my balcony, anxiously wringing my hands. She suggested a walk to the night gardens to try to and ease my worries, and I accepted.

We left my room and were escorted by my guards toward the night gardens. While we walked the hall, I spotted James Dolye walking towards us. He brushed past us quickly, and normally I would've never said a word to him. But I was concerned, and so my curiosity got the better of me.

"Mr. Doyle!" I called out, coming to a sudden halt as I did. My guards stopped short and so did May. May tossed me a questioning look, but I ignored her and turned to face James Doyle. He had only gotten a few feet away from us when I had called him. To my shock, he'd actually stopped walking. He was looking at me with one eyebrow raised, his expression slightly amused. He was clearly as surprised by my sudden outburst as the rest of my party.

"My Queen?" he asked me, his voice mocking as he said the words. I took a few steps toward him before I continued.

"My husband, the King. Have you seen him recently? Is he well?"

James openly smirked at my statement. "Got a sudden concern for the well-being of Graves?"

"My concern is not sudden, Mr. Doyle, he is the father of my child. His well-being has always been of great concern to me."

"Oh, I'm sure it has sweetheart."

"Where has he been? Has he left on a mission?"

"No. He's been in the city, I assure you."

I felt my concern bubbling again and Doyle grinned to see me in such discomfort. If Graves was in the city, why wasn't he calling on me? Had I done something wrong? Had I lost his favor? Had he learned my secret? I tried to ignore Doyle's condescending expression and instead focused on why I'd spoken to him in the first place.

"Very well. When you next see him, please tell him I was looking for him."

"I will, my Queen, but I wouldn't get your hopes up on him coming to see you."

I felt irritation grow in my chest at his words. Doyle clearly knew exactly what Graves was up to, and was making an active effort to toy with me. "May I ask you why he won't?"

Dolye's grin only widened. "Hadn't you heard? He's rather busy."

"Enough, Doyle. Tell me or don't." I asked, my voice rising as my irritation with Doyle grew.

"He's celebrating of course. As I understand it one of his women has become pregnant. One of your half-sisters."

My shock at his words was apparent on my face, and immediately my eyes flew downward to guard my expression as much as possible. This wasn't good. Not at all.

Doyle's sarcasm cut into my thoughts. "Oh, I'm sorry for telling you like this. I'd assumed you already knew."

My eyes darted back up to Doyle's and I looked at him scathingly. He and I both knew that my exposure was remarkably limited in this place. I would've only known if someone had made an effort to tell me.

Doyle continued speaking, much to my displeasure. "To be honest, my Queen, I haven't seen much of him myself. He's been rather busy with her. It's my understanding she's spent the last couple of days in his chambers with him. He's been taking no visitors, but if I see him, I'll make sure to pass on your message."

"On second thought, Mr. Doyle, I think I'd prefer if you said nothing to him."

"Sudden change of heart, my Queen?"

"The King has enough to worry about. I'm sure he will find time for me when he can."

Doyle opened his mouth to deliver another scathing comment, but I didn't give him the time. Instead I turned heel, and made a beeline for my bedroom rather than my original goal of the night-gardens. I was irritated when I heard Doyle's footsteps rushing behind me. He cut me off and as he did I gave him an annoyed glance.

"Is there something else you'd like to tell me, Mr. Doyle?"

"It's funny, isn't it?" Doyle asked me.

"What's funny?" I snapped back. I was quickly becoming impatient with his games.

"It's taken him nearly five months to pump a baby into your half-sister. Yet, you were pregnant in a matter of weeks."

"What of it, Doyle?" I asked him.

"I just think it's odd. Two girls, raised under the same roof. Same food. Same water. One takes five months to conceive, and one two weeks."

"My half-sister does not share my mother. Her struggle to conceive is of no consequence to me." With every word I spoke, my voice grew sharper. Doyle was toying a fine line right now. He was getting too close to the truth.

"I just think it's a little odd is all, my Queen. Humor me would you? How long were you married to your previous husband?"

I didn't respond at all. Doyle continued to press me anyway.

"At least six months, it had to have been. Probably even longer. Maybe eight months? From what I've heard, you two were quite the couple. I imagine he was fucking your right up to the end. I mean, who could blame him? I'd be doing the same damn thing. I just think it's strange. All that time you were together, right until the very end, and you never carried his child."

"My ex-husband had spent many years out in the wasteland."

"No more years than Graves."

"Are you trying to accuse me of something, Mr. Doyle?"

"I'm just trying to ensure that Graves is surrounded by people that have his best interests at heart."

"Doyle, no doubt your brilliant mind has been well at work trying to find something to accuse me of, but this is a stretch, even for you. If you must know the details of my relationship with my late husband I will give them to you. Contrary to what you believe, Max and I didn't consummate our marriage until he had already spent months living with me. In addition my ex-husband is a good ten years older than Graves. And unlike Graves, Max would spend weeks at a time away from me, out in the wasteland. Sometimes we only had a matter of days together each month. But, if he somehow did get me pregnant like you're suggesting, and that baby survived my fall from the bridge, I was tested for a pregnancy before Graves ever laid with me. The kind of scheme you're attempting to accuse me of would have required contacts within this city that you know I do not have."

"Don't you? The old woman is one for sure-" He cast his eyes to May as he made this accusation. "and I'm sure there are more loyal to you in this city than just her. You're up to something, I know it. And sooner or later I'm going to find out what exactly that is."

"Well, Mr. Doyle, by all means feel free to continue wasting your time investigating a conspiracy that does not exist. If you don't mind, I'd like to return to my quarters now."

Doyle stepped to the side to allow me to pass, and I brushed by him quickly.

May and my guards followed quickly after me. I tried to keep my pace as even as possible and disguise the panic I was feeling. I walked into my room quickly, and as soon as May followed me in I shut the door and locked it. I walked straight back into my bedroom and shut that door too.

May spoke first. "I have to hand I to you. That was a good comeback you gave Doyle. Did you come up with that on the spot?"

"It's been on my mind in case anyone ever started asking probing questions."

"It was a good defense. Is that true about you and Max? You were married for months without consummation? I didn't even know that."

I hesitated before I answered. "It wasn't months. I stretched the truth. But yes, it was delayed. Regardless, none of those details matter. Only two things matter right now. This other baby, and Doyle catching on to us."

"Which should we tackle first?"

"The baby. Do you think that Graves intends to dethrone me?"

May shook her head. "No… I would be surprised at that."

I lifted my hand to the heavy necklace around my neck and toyed with it nervously. "Are you certain?"

"Yes. I believe if that was his intention then he would have done it as soon as he found out. You still hold his favor."

I bit my lip anxiously. "Do I? It was not so long ago that Graves preferred their company over mine."

"That was because you preferred it that way. Since you have given yourself over to Graves' will he has been a constant companion of yours."

"Not as constant as I thought. He clearly had time to get someone else pregnant."

"Who knows how far along she is? It could have been from before you became close with him, and he's only now finding out."

"But then why spend so much time with her?"

May sighed, "That I cannot answer for you."

"Then we might as well switch our conversation to our next topic. Doyle."

May hissed as I said his name. "He's a snake and a murderer. Twisted as they come but he doesn't miss a detail, I'll give him that."

"He's undoubtedly very intelligent," I conceded. "But he hates me and is most certainly closer to finding out the truth than I'd like."

"He'll keep good on his promise, too," May replied. "He'll keep digging. We'll have to be even more careful from now on."

I sighed and nodded. As I did, I weighed my odds carefully. With everything I knew about my family, the smuggler that Jax had managed to find, this new baby, and Doyle's impending discovery of our plan I knew there was only one option left open to me.

"It's time, May," I finally declared.

"Time?" she asked me.

"When you leave here you're going to go home. Make sure you aren't followed. When you are certain you haven't been followed you are going to go to Jax and youare going to tell him that he needs to bring Max back here. Now."

"I know you've just found out your family is alive and you want to see them, but we need to be careful. We only found the smuggler days ago. Isn't this a bit rushed? What if we can't trust him?"

"Time is not on our side, May. You heard Doyle. He's discovering I have other contacts. If he finds out about my connection to Jax, to Doctor Stone and to the resistance in this city- We might not get another chance."

May contemplated for a moment before she finally nodded. "I understand. We knew this would happen eventually. I just didn't think it would happen so soon."

I made my way to my night stand and shifted aside the items before I finally withdrew what I was looking for. A single sapphire on a broken chain. I turned and pushed the necklace into May's hands.

"Here." I told her. "Give it to Jax. Max knows this necklace. He knows I was wearing it when I fell. If Jax shows it to Max it will help him prove that he is telling the truth."

"You don't think Max will believe him?"

"My husband is smart. He'll guess a trap by Graves first. Something to lure Max, Marcus, and Furiosa out of the Citadel."

"You think the necklace will prove you're alive?" May asked.

I shook my head. "No. He'll want to know things I would only have known." I thought hard for a moment before I finally came with my decision. "Tell Jax to ask about the Thunderdome. About Master Blaster and Aunty Entity, Jessie and Sprog, and the name Rockatansky."

May looked at me like I was out of my mind. "Does this list of random names have meaning?"

"Only to Max and I. These are things he told me about. Secrets we shared with one another. Only I would know about them. He knows this. Especially Jessie, Sprog, and Rockatansky. Those will be the most effective. Combined with the necklace and I'm sure he will at least hear Jax out."

May nodded. "Is there anything else?"

I hesitated before I answered. "Yes. Tell him that I love him."

"Alright." May pocketed the necklace and nodded once more. "And what of your baby? Should we tell Max of the child?"

I hesitated, unsure. On one hand I wanted to tell Max myself. I wanted to see his reaction. But on the other hand, it wasn't like I was telling him something he wouldn't be able to see for himself. The moment he saw me he would see that I was pregnant, and automatically assume it was Graves. "Tell Jax it's his choice. If he thinks my family can handle everything, then he should tell them everything."

"Very well." May responded. "I will deliver the news to Jax." With that, May exited my bedroom.

I stood alone in my room and listened to the sound of the front door closing. I found myself wishing desperately that May made it home safely, and that this smuggler was everything we'd hoped he would be. With the threat of this other child and Doyle's probing questions, there was nothing more that I wanted than to be able to go someplace safe and quiet with Max and our baby. I'd been away from him for some time now, and the ache that had filled my chest in his absence had yet to subside. I could not lie that for a moment I had started to give up hope. I had begun to resign myself to this life. I had told myself that the life I was living was acceptable, and that Graves was kind enough to me. I had begun to settle for less. Now that I knew for certain he was alive I found my thoughts about my situation had changed drastically. I wanted to go home, wanted to go to him, wanted to be with him. I wanted to be with someone who loved me and who I loved. I had pushed Max to the back of my mind so I wouldn't have to feel conflicted between him and Graves, and to numb the pain of losing him. I had been deliberately distancing myself from Max in preparation for hearing the news that he was dead. But with my new information Max was the only thing on my mind. I hadn't even begun to worry about Graves' absence until yesterday. I had only been focused on my husband. I worried over how he was. What he was doing, if he was alright after my death, or if the voices in his mind had come back to torment him. I wondered if he was staying true to his promise to protect my family or if he was starting to move on from me. After all, he thought I was dead. He'd have to start to move on eventually. I wondered if he would believe this child was really his after all my time with Graves. I wondered if he would still love me after everything I had done. My greatest fear was that he would not love me after he learned of Graves and I. I hoped desperately that he would understand I had no choice. That my only options had been being a Queen or being a sex slave. But I had no way to know what Max would think after all of this.

I sighed and shook my head, trying to rid myself of my thoughts of Max. Now that I was alone I could finally process a plan to deal with my current predicaments. I had no idea if our smuggling mission would succeed or not and I needed to come up with plans to deal with my current situation as long as possible. I knew I had to see Graves as soon as I could. Between this other woman and Doyle, I had no idea what notions they might be putting into his head. I would need to step up my act even more than before, truly make Graves believe that I loved him. He needed to believe me more than anyone else that spoke to him, and more importantly I needed him to fall in love with me. If he loved me, he would not replace me. It was as simple as that. But pulling off this feat would be more difficult than ever. With my mind so focused on the man I really loved, I wasn't sure if I would be able to pull off this act. But failure wasn't an option now, my freedom and my life teetered on me pulling this off. I had to at least try.

* * *

A few hours later I was on the balcony of my room reading when I heard the door to my room open and close.

"Back already?" I called out, not bothering to lift my eyes from my book as I did. I expected to hear May's voice in response, but my heart skipped a beat when I recognized the heavy footfalls of Graves. I looked up as the footfalls stopped and saw my brooding husband leaning on the doorframe to my balcony.

I snapped my book shut and set it down on the table in front of me. "Axel!" I declared in surprise. I stood up suddenly and bowed my head as I did. "I was not expecting you."

"You asked to see me," his voice growled out in response to my statement.

So Doyle had in fact delivered my message, which meant he was lying when he said Graves was not taking guests.

I fiddled with my hands as my heartbeat quickened. When I'd asked to see Graves I hadn't realized the full extent of the situation. Now that I knew I had no idea what to say.

"Yes. I did," I finally stated. "I was worried about you. I hadn't seen you in so long, I thought something might be wrong. But then I ran into Doyle and he told me about-" I cut myself off. I didn't really want to have this conversation with him. I didn't want to talk about his child with another woman. Despite myself, I was feeling a pit of jealousy in my stomach. I had grown so confident in my manipulation of Graves. I hadn't seen this coming.

"I know," Graves replied. "He told me he'd informed you of the… situation."

"I didn't mean to drag you away from your obligations." I replied.

"You didn't."

"Doyle told me she'd been staying with you."

"She did. For a day or so. She's been gone some time now."

I nodded, "I see."

Graves exhaled before he replied. "It was my intention to tell you myself about what had happened. Doyle was aware of this, and I'll deal with him. I haven't called on you because I didn't know what I would say to you."

"I thought I had done something wrong, that you no longer wanted me."

"You've done nothing wrong," he finally told me. "I just had other priorities."

"It was my mistake," I told him. "My expectations were different. I thought things had changed between us."

He tilted his head to the side. "Changed in what way?" he asked me.

I sighed and turned away from him. I let my shoulders sag before I spoke. This was it. This was going to be the moment that determined how Graves treated me from here on out. I was going to have to sell this performance harder than any I'd had before.

"It was foolish, really," I stated. "I see that now."

"What was foolish?"

"For a moment I let myself believe that you cared about me." I finally stated. "I thought that I was enough. That you'd gotten rid of the others. We'd spent so much time together- I didn't think there still could be others. I couldn't have been more wrong."

My statement was met with silence, and I wanted to turn around to gauge his expression. I chose not to, and instead waited patiently.  
I heard him walk toward me, and eventually he came to stand beside me on the balcony.

"You weren't wrong. I do care about you, Sapphire."

"Then why keep the others around? You said you did it before because I hated you. I have not hated you for some time."

He glanced over at me with a raised eyebrow. "I find it hard to believe you don't hate the man that slaughtered your family."

My breath caught in my throat and for a moment I was stunned into silence. We don't talk about what happened to my family.

"I told you I was willing to try to forgive you."

"And have you forgiven me?"

I grew silent, and Graves responded. "That's what I thought."

"No," I replied. "No, it's not what you think at all."

"Then what is it?"

"I do care for you," I told him. "More than I think I should." I shook my head and looked down toward the city, away from his eyes which were analyzing me so closely now. "You've been kind to me. Kinder than I expected and kinder than others would have been. And the more time I've spent with you the more conflicted I've become. When I learned of you other child I was jealous. It wasn't a reaction I expected from myself. It's true I've had trouble forgetting what happened to my family. But the way things are today… My mother forgave my father for what he did. She told me herself she loved him. I've begun to realize that I can forgive you."

He reached forward and used his fingertips to tilt my head to look at him. "And do you?" he asked me. "Do you forgive me?"

I nodded once, "Yes. Yes, I forgive you."

He smiled and stepped toward me, closing the gap between us. He reached his hand to my face and stroked my cheek with the back of his fingertips.

"Do you love me?" he asked me.

I had known the day would come where I would have to say the words—the best lie that I would ever have to tell. "…Yes," I finally said, my voice just a whisper. "I do."

"Say it for me."

"I love you, Axel."

Graves' dark eyes met mine and I felt my heart pounding. The tension between us was overwhelming, and I wasn't sure if he truly believed me. He continued to stroke my cheek gently for a moment before he closed the distance between us and kissed me. I kissed him back, reaching my hands to his neck and pulling him down toward me.

"Am I making a mistake?" I whispered against his lips when our kiss broke.

"No," he told me. "You are my most precious possession, Sapphire. I will do everything in my power to protect you. I have grown to care for you."

"This other woman-" I began.

He took a step away from me to answer. "She is from before we became close… I hadn't seen her in some time when I was told."

"But you still called her back."

"What would you have me do? She is also the mother of my child. Our deal still stands. Our children together have priority over any others I may have."

I nodded before I spoke. "There is one other thing." I said to him. "Something I've been meaning to ask you."

He lifted his fingers to toy with my hair as he spoke. "Ask it."

I looked him in the eyes as I asked this next question. "My family… I want to know the truth." I told him.

"I have told you what happened to your family," Graves replied.

"I know," I replied. "I know you did. Just please." I took both of his hands in mine and interlaced our fingers. He glanced down at our hands as I did, and I pressed on. "If they aren't dead… If that wasn't true what you told me… Please. Tell me the truth now. I won't leave, I won't try to run away from you. I will stay with you, right here in this city no matter what you say. As long as you look me in the eye and swear to me it's the truth."  
Graves cast his dark eyes back up at me and sighed. "Very well."

I looked at him in anticipation and squeezed his hands gently.

"We found your family. All of them." He told me.

I took a sharp breath in as he said this. "You did?" I barely squeaked out. I couldn't believe it. Graves was actually going to tell me the truth.

"Yes," he answered. "We found them just a week after you were found inside our walls. They were in a car. It looked like they'd been attacked. None survived. I am sorry, Sapphire."

At his words my eyes dropped to the floor to hide my expression of fury.

Liar.

Any second-guessing's I'd ever had about sentencing this man to die were gone in an instant. If he could lie about my family, he could just as easily lie about having feelings for me. Graves was nothing more than a monster. A murderer who killed my family and taken me hostage in a twisted quest for power.  
I took a deep breath to calm myself. I was about one more lie away from slapping Graves across his face. I hated this man. He'd shown me what kind of person he was, and again and again I'd let it go. Not this time. He killed my family. Murdered them in cold blood. And now my husband was going to come back and make sure Graves got exactly what he deserved.

But for now I was here. And I'd just bared my heart to him. I couldn't blow it now and reveal that I knew the truth. Not just yet. There would come a time when I would tell Graves everything. I wanted to see his face as he watched his world crumble before him. For now, I had to act as though I believed every word he said.

I lifted my eyes back to Graves. "You swear they are all dead? You're certain?"

"I swear it," he replied.

I nodded before I let out a shaky breath. "Then I am alone in this world."

"You're not alone," Graves told me. "You have me. I'll keep you safe."

I lifted my hand to his face and stroked my fingers over the scar there before I leaned up to him and kissed him. "I know," I told him. "I trust you. Don't make me regret that."

"You won't."

* * *

Thanks for the read, leave me a review, sorry for the wait!


	29. Chapter 29: The Truth

A/N: I have the best readers. Thank you all for coming back to read the last update. I didn't include shoutouts on the last chapter, so I'm making it up here.

Thank you to my awesome reviewers. You guys rock!

Kaylee00, Nicole AE, Usedmemories, RisingofObsidian, Kei- Kugodgy (x2), beachchick3 (x2), CrazyRedwood, whowants2live4ever, Hapsgurl80, Sheeshow, xXMoonlitSorrowsXx (x3), WWEKanesNumberOneFan, hanna891, BucksDoe, CaptainFusou, KMhappybunny240, louisapollot, and my seven guest reviewers, thank you for taking the time to review! The feedback for chapter 27 and 28 was great. I'm glad to be back, and it was nice to see some familiar names pop up. I appreciate the loyalty.

Without further ado, Chapter 29.

* * *

Chapter 29: The Truth

 _I lay in my bed feeling thoroughly worn out while remarkably satisfied. Sapphire was next to me. She was laying on her stomach, propped up on her elbows, her eyes bright with mischief as she looked at me. Her hair played down her back and drew my attention to the bare skin there. I reached a hand over to brush along her back with my fingertips.  
_

 _"You are so lovely," I told her.  
_

 _She smiled at me and leaned over to kiss me. "You're full of compliments today," she told me as she pulled away.  
_

 _"I thought you were encouraging me to talk?"  
_

 _"I'm not complaining," she quipped back. "It's just the way you're talking." She reached her hand forward and gently scratched her nails along my chest. "Is everything ok?"  
_

 _She'd learned to read me so well. She was right. I was especially appreciative of her today. I'd returned from a run only a few hours ago, and the run hadn't gone well. The entire ride home all I'd thought of was Sapphire. Up until the moment I was back in our suite, my only thought had been on telling her that I loved her, and then proceeding to make love to her. Luckily my wife was as in love with me as I was with her, and accomplishing both of those goals hadn't been difficult.  
_

 _I captured her hand and brought her fingers to my lips. I kissed them gently before I replied to her. "It's fine. I'm just happy to be home. I missed you."  
_

 _She gave me a look like she didn't believe me, but she didn't press further on the subject.  
_

 _"I've been meaning to ask you something." She told me.  
_

 _"Hm?"  
_

 _"You're from before. So you know how things used to be. You lived when everything was green, and there was water instead of salt."  
_

 _"Yes."  
_

 _"People from before. They have last names."  
_

 _"Yes."  
_

 _"Do you have one?"  
_

 _I couldn't remember the last time I said my last name aloud. I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to pronounce it properly on my first try. I thought about it for a moment, and tasted the words in my mouth before I finally said them. "Rockatansky," I finally replied. My own last name sounded strange to me.  
_

 _"So… Does that make me Mrs. Rockatansky?"  
_

 _"You seem to know more about last names than you let on."  
_

 _"But I'm right? I take your last name?"  
_

 _I chuckled. "Yes, love. You're Mrs. Rockatansky."  
_

 _She smiled broadly at me before she moved toward me. She climbed on top of me, and took my hands in hers. She pressed my hands back against the bed, and lowered her body down to mine. She brushed her lips against mine briefly before I felt words whispered against my lips.  
_

 _"I love you, Max."  
_

"Max!" _  
_

I was jolted awake by someone yelling my name and pounding on the door to my room. I groaned and dragged my hand over my face. My dreams were so vivid. When they weren't nightmares, they were beautiful memories. Memories that made coming back to the real world difficult. _  
_

"Max! Max open up! It's important! You must come immediately!" _  
_

I recognized Diamond's voice and sighed before I stood from my bed. I slipped a shirt over my head and opened the door. _  
_

"It's about time!" She exclaimed as soon as the door was open. "You must come immediately to Furiosa's chamber." _  
_

"What's going on?" _  
_

"A man has just arrived. He's from the Stone City. He brought this." _  
_

She extended her closed hand toward me, and as she did I noticed she was shaking. She opened her palm and revealed a single sapphire on a silver chain. _  
_

My heart plummeted into my stomach at the sight of the necklace. _  
_

"That's not possible," I muttered out. _  
_

"Is it the necklace?" Diamond asked me, her voice trembling as she did. "Is that her necklace?" _  
_

I picked the jewel up and examined the necklace. The chain was broken. But other than that the necklace was exactly as I remembered it. "Yes," I answered, dumbfounded. I would recognize it anywhere. This was undoubtedly the necklace I had given Sapphire. _  
_

"Was she wearing it when she fell?" _  
_

As soon as Diamond said the words I was back on the bridge. Sapphire dangled over darkness, her eyes wide with terror. She was smeared with blood from her shoulder, and the dirt and blood marred the appearance of her white skin. But, undoubtedly, the necklace was there. Resting against her chest. _  
_

I was jolted back to reality, and the necklace waited in my palm. "Yes," I answered again. _  
_

My mind was finally clicking into gear after the shock of what I was looking at. Sapphire's necklace. How had this man gotten it? Had he found her body in the water? Had she survived the fall? _  
_

 _Had she survived the fall_? _  
_

If my wife had survived that, and I'd left her behind… _  
_

My thoughts were interrupted by Diamond's voice. "Max. There's more." _  
_

I didn't bother to let her finish. I closed my fingers around the necklace and I walked in a beeline toward Furiosa's room. _  
_

"Max! Stop!" _  
_

"Who the hell is this man and why does he have my dead wife's necklace?" I shot over my shoulder at her. _  
_

"Max, calm down. I know him! I've met him before!" _  
_

"Doesn't mean he's not a liar. For all we know Graves could be behind this." _  
_

The door into Furiosa's room was unlocked. I burst into the room and saw Furiosa sitting across from a war boy. Marcus was here as well, standing over the war boy's shoulder. I crossed the room toward him and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. I yanked him to his feet and pulled him closer to my face. _  
_

"Where did you get this?" I hissed at him. _  
_

"Calm down Max!" Diamond insisted. _  
_

"You should listen to the Queen," the war boy muttered back. _  
_

"She's not Queen of anything here," I growled. _  
_

"His name is Jax!" Diamond called out from behind me. "He was a friend of Sapphire's, from the hospital when she would volunteer there. He says that Sapphire gave it to him. He says that she's alive, and that she sent him from the Stone City." _  
_

"No. That's not possible. My wife is dead, I watched her fall!" _  
_

"She fell but she didn't die." Jax replied. "I pulled her from the water. I saved her with the help of Doctor Stone." _  
_

"You're a fucking liar," I growled back at him. I tightened my grip on the boy. "What kind of twisted game is Graves playing?" _  
_

"No game," Jax insisted. "Let me go, and I can prove I'm telling the truth." _  
_

"How?" I snarled at him. _  
_

"Sapphire told me things. Things she said only you and her would know." _  
_

"What are they?" _  
_

"Let me go, and I'll tell you." _  
_

I hesitated for a moment before I released my hold on him. He smoothed his shirt down and took a few anxious steps back. "Thank you," he muttered in response. _  
_

"You said you could prove it," Furiosa chimed in. "So prove it." _  
_

Jax sighed before he spoke. "She said to ask you about Aunty Entity. About Master Blaster and the Thunderdome." _  
_

No. How was this possible? How could this be happening? I watched her fall. I watched her fall to her death. _  
_

"How do you know those names?" I asked him. _  
_

"I know them because I'm telling you the truth. She also said that the names Jessie and Sprog would have meaning to you." _  
_

From behind me, I heard Diamond let out a choked sob. I just stood in shock as wave after wave of emotion pummeled me. Guilt. Disbelief. Hope. Anguish. Fear. Happiness. I wasn't sure what I felt, or even if I believed him. I felt like I was in a waking dream. _  
_

"The last one she gave me was Rockatansky. And she said something else too. She said that she loves you." _  
_

I took several steps backwards away from Jax before my gaze finally fell to the ground. I stared at it, unseeing. I was in complete disbelief. Around me the world slowed, and everything seemed to be covered in a haze. _  
_

"How?" I asked him, my voice hoarse. "How did she survive the fall?" _  
_

"Pure luck." Jax answered. "I happened to be in the water. I was on a boat, gathering the bodies. I saw her hit and went over. I could hardly believe it, but it was her. I brought her back to my home, and Doctor Stone treated her. She nearly died of bloodloss from the wound to her shoulder. I can't believe she didn't, honestly." _  
_

"I gave her my blood," I replied. "Just before we went over the bridge." _  
_

"She told us, when she woke up. You saved her life." Jax answered. _  
_

My hands rubbed my face in disbelief. Surely there was a mistake. Or I had to be dreaming. But this all just felt so real. _  
_

"Where is she now?" Diamond asked. "You have her somewhere safe? Somewhere hidden?" _  
_

"No," I answered. "No. If she'd stayed hidden she would have come herself." _  
_

Diamond let out another choked sob. "Is she with him? Did he find her?" _  
_

I wanted to plug my ears. I didn't want to hear the answer. But I needed to hear it. Everything that was happening to her was because of me, I'd left her there to die. _  
_

"… Yes," Jax finally answered. "Graves found her." _  
_

Diamond let out a heartbroken wail before she began sobbing. I felt moisture running down my face, but I didn't bother trying to hide it or wipe them away. More would just come. _  
_

"How long?" I asked Jax. "How long has he had her for?" _  
_

"About five months now," Jax answered. _  
_

"No!" This cry came from Diamond. "No! My poor baby… what's he done to her? Has he hurt her?" _  
_

Jax swallowed hard before he continued. "He made her Queen." _  
_

Diamond and I both looked up at Jax at the same time. "Queen?" I asked him. _  
_

"The situation is extraordinarily complicated," Jax replied. "But yes, she's Queen. They came to an agreement." _  
_

"What sort of agreement?" I asked him through gritted teeth. _  
_

"The one that Graves always wanted," Diamond hissed out from behind me. "For Sapphire to be mother to his heirs." _  
_

"Yeah," Jax muttered. "That would be the agreement." _  
_

"Five months," I barely whispered the words. That was a long time. "And she- Has she-" I couldn't bring myself to say the words out loud. _  
_

Jax answered anyway, clearly understanding what I was getting at. "She's lived up to her end of the deal. Or so Graves would believe." _  
_

"What do you mean?" Diamond asked. _  
_

"Sapphire is pregnant-" Jax answered. Another wail from Diamond cut him off. _  
_

My entire world crashed around me with those words. This was entirely my fault. The woman I loved was slave to a terrible man, forced to sell her body for a glimmer of freedom. That was what I had resigned her to when I hadn't gone after her. A fate worse than death. _  
_

"This is my fault," I finally muttered out. _  
_

"No!" Diamond immediately interjected. She marched over to me and continued to talk. "No. I will not let you blame yourself for this. That is not what Sapphire would have wanted." _  
_

"Both of you!" Jax cut into our conversation abruptly. "Let me finish. Like I said, Graves only believes she's held up her end of the deal. Sapphire _is_ pregnant. But Graves is not the father. You are, Max." At his words, the entire world around me fell away. Voices rang in my ears screaming for my attention. I was on a road, running desperately gun in my hand. Ahead of me I watched as the gang of bikes raced toward Jessie. I watched as they ran her down, Sprog in her arms. _  
_

And then I was in the Stone City. I was with Sapphire. She was wrapped in a white sheet, begging me not to go and fight. Had she been pregnant then? She had to have been. It must've been in the days before the attack when we'd conceived our child. _  
_How foolish of me. How selfish. We knew that an attack was coming. I should've been more careful. If I'd died in the battle and she'd escaped I would've left her as a single mother, and my child fatherless. Now instead she was trapped as a prisoner, and alone. Pregnant with a child that would be the death of her if Graves ever learned the truth. _  
_

Fuck. This was a complete shitshow. Every minute I had been sitting here feeling bad for myself, Graves had been pawing over my wife without a care in the world. He'd gotten everything he wanted in this. He had to know that I believed her dead. I bet he was counting on it. If he thought for even one moment that I might know she was alive, he'd be trying to kill me. _  
_

I was going to cause him so much pain. I clenched my hands into fists as red hot anger flowed through me. _  
_

My vision faded from me again, and I was beside a burning car. One of the men that had ran down my wife was before me. Without hesitation, I handcuffed him to the burning car. He begged and pleaded for me not to. His legs were broken. But I didn't care. I tossed a handsaw at him, giving him the option to get away. But he never did. I walked away and watched, and waited. I'd never intended to let him live. Even if he had sawed off his own hand I would've killed him. But he never crawled away from the car. It blew up, and the man went with it. _  
_

"Max?" _  
_

I was jerked back to reality by the sound of Diamond's voice. My ears rang, and I shook my head. _  
_

"When do we go back?" I growled at Jax. _  
_

"Whenever you're ready." _  
_

"We need to think this through." Furiosa chimed in. "You can't just walk in there. We've got to have a plan." _  
_

"She's right." Diamond interjected. "We need to know everything about what's going on before we just walk in." _  
_

"Graves knows the family is here," Jax answered. "Sapphire discovered this just over a week ago. If you try to bring her back here, Graves will come for her. He thinks Sapphire carries his child. He won't just let her leave." _  
_

"So we kill him," I answered without hesitation. _  
_

"There's others. His Lieutenants. They'll replace him if we kill him," Jax replied. _  
_

"So we kill them all," I answered again. _  
_

"I don't think it'll be as simple as that," Diamond answered. _  
_

"It won't be that simple, but it won't be impossible." Jax answered. "I've been working to create a resistance against Graves from inside the city. There's about 250 of us now. Not enough to take the city, not by a long shot. But with a little help from the Citadel…" _  
_

"Sapphire didn't send you here for a rescue mission, did she?" Diamond asked. _  
_  
"No," Jax replied. "She wants to take back the city." His eyes turned to Furiosa now. "The Queen is calling upon the allegiance you enacted with her father. Graves came so quickly, we couldn't call for help. But this time around, we have time. We need the Citadel." _  
_  
Furiosa looked completely shocked by Jax's words. It was a while before she responded. "Even if we take the city from Graves, how do we know his men will comply with the regime change?" _  
_

"The people of the City are only loyal to Graves because they fear him. All our citizens would back Sapphire if Graves were to die and she were to claim the throne, I'm sure of it. His remaining men can be exiled or executed." _  
_

"We're not attacking anything until I see myself she's alive," I replied. _  
_

"I've told you everything. She gave me her necklace. You still don't believe I'm telling the truth?" _  
_

Marcus cut in abruptly. "Max is right. You could be lying about all of this. This information could've been tortured from her, the necklace taken by force. The story of Max's child made up by Graves to lure the forces of the Citadel out. We're the only threat to his reign for at least 1000 miles." _  
_

Jax sighed. "You're wasting time with this. I'm telling the truth." _  
_

"So Max and I will go see for ourselves," Marcus answered. "We will travel back with you, see you're telling the truth. I will return once we know for certain Sapphire is alive and retrieve the forces from the Citadel." Marcus looked at Furiosa, and she nodded in approval. _  
_

I wasn't so certain about Marcus' plan. "You have a child. A wife," I told Marcus. "You needn't risk yourself doing this." _  
_

"I was the one that convinced you to leave," Marcus replied. "You wanted to try to and find her, and I convinced you that leaving was best. I was wrong. My family is only alive because you went back into that city with me. In my desire to save them, I may have inadvertently sacrificed your family. I would right my mistake." _  
_

I nodded. "Very well. We'll leave the day after tomorrow." _  
_

"I will come as well," Diamond suddenly cut in. _  
_

"No," Marcus and I answered in unison. _  
_

"My daughter is alive and you would tell me I cannot see her?" Diamond asked both of us incredulously. _  
_

"We're not taking a fun little trip," I replied. "We're going into hostile territory. We're enemies of that city, and as its former Queen you are one of the most easily recognizable people." _  
_

"Oh, and you two aren't?" Diamond shot back immediately. _  
_

"The _cat_ on my face will help me go unrecognized." I shot back, using her insult of my facial hair to my advantage. "But besides that, Marcus and I are familiar with blending into a crowd. You stand out." _  
_

"I can blend in," Diamond immediately shot back. _  
_

"Not with that hair," Marcus remarked, referring to her signature platinum hair. _  
_

Diamond opened her mouth to argue again, but I cut her off before she could speak. "No," I told her firmly. "I need to be able to act freely. I can't do that if I have to protect you the entire time." _  
_

"She needs me. She's playing the same game with Graves that I played with her father. I _need_ to advise her. Please, Max." _  
_

"No," I answered again. "Your place is here. With Pearl and what's left of your family." _  
_

Diamond gave me a scathing look before she turned around and stormed out of the room. _  
_

"She won't soon forgive us for that," Marcus remarked. _  
_

"She'll forgive us when we deliver her daughter to her," I answered. "Now, we need to discuss how we're going to accomplish this." _  
_

Furiosa, Marcus, and Jax nodded in agreement, and we began to discuss our plan. As Jax produced a map of the city and explained how we would be getting in and out, my thoughts drifted to my wife. _  
_

 _Hold on, love_. _I'm coming back for you. Just like I promised_.

* * *

Thank you for reading! As always leave me a review, I love the feedback.

Next chapter Max makes the journey back to the Stone City.


	30. Chapter 30: Eyes Like Steel

A/N: Thank you once again for taking the time to read _Mad Max: The City of Stones_. My goal is to update sometime on Sundays every week until the novel reaches its conclusion.

Thank you again to all of my reviewers, kmhappybunny240, xXMoonlitSorrowsXx, Laura, fictionprincess08, Usedmemories, Kei-Kugodgy, Crazy Redwood, Witchbaby300, Cotton Strings, and my two guest reviewers. Thanks so much for your reviews and continued support—I couldn't do it without you guys.

Back to the Stone City we go!

* * *

Chapter 30: Eyes Like Steel

We readied for the trip to the Stone City as quickly as possible. As the hours ticked down to our departure, I found myself growing more and more anxious. Part of my fear was that this was all a lie, that I would be walking right into a trap from Graves and meet my death in just a few hours. But my other fear was that my wife really was alive. I had no idea what I would say to her, or how she would react upon seeing me. I didn't look the same, I looked unkempt, worn-down. I was thinner than when she had last seen me, my drinking and inactivity had caused me to lose some of the muscle mass I'd had five months ago. My self-consciousness eventually inspired me to get my hair cut before the trip, and my beard trimmed. I still looked vastly different (and hopefully unrecognizable to the people of the Stone City), but at least I didn't look like I'd spent the last five months hiding from a shower or a razor.

I kept reassuring myself that she wouldn't have sent for me if she didn't still love me. But doubt still gnawed at the back of my mind. Five months in the hands of a vicious dictator was a long time. I had no way of knowing what had been going through her mind this entire time. If she missed me, if she was angry with me for leaving her or for not fully investigating her death. But the greatest fear I had was that the Sapphire I had left behind was not the same woman who was calling for me now. I'd loved Sapphire's innocence. I'd done everything I could to protect her from the terrible things in this world. But, despite my best efforts, she had still fallen into the hands of a twisted man. I couldn't imagine my sweet wife sitting beside a man like him – she had to have changed to survive, it was what always happened in this world. Diamond had said it herself, innocence didn't belong here anymore, it either changed or died. I'd thought Sapphire had been one of the ones who died. I could very well be proven wrong.

We met the smuggler who would be bringing us back to the Stone City just a few hours before we departed. I was anticipating a shady kind of fellow, but what I got instead was someone I knew. Someone I'd known a long time. Jedidiah. He'd helped me save the children so many years ago, when I had encountered Aunty Entity and Bartertown. He was a damn good pilot. If he'd been thinking about betraying us, I was certain he wouldn't now that he knew exactly who he was working with.

"Max," Jedidiah greeted me warmly and shook hands with me. "I didn't think it could possibly be the same man. But here you are."

"I didn't think I would ever see you again," I replied.

"You're getting all sorts of surprises," Jedidiah remarked.

"You were inside the city," I stated. "The woman we're going to see… Is she really my wife?"

"That I can't tell you," Jedidiah replied. "I arrived in the city just days before Graves attacked. I never got a look at her before the battle. But I can tell you this—she's certainly blond. And the others in the city seem to believe that she is in fact Augustus' daughter."

His answer didn't ease my anxiety, if anything it magnified it. Every detail I learned seemed to point to my wife being alive. I'd just recently started to accept her death. If she wasn't alive after all of this, or if she was and she died as I tried to save her, I didn't know what I would do. Everything we were about to do was risky. If I got Sapphire back just to lose her again in the coming days… I didn't want to think about that outcome.

Diamond and her children came to see us off, as did Furiosa. Diamond came up to me and spoke.

"Good luck," She told me. She seemed to be far less angry than the last time I had seen her.

"He won't need it," Pearl chimed in. "This is what he does. He saves people. He saved us and now he's going to save Sapphire. Right, Max?"

Pearl's faith in my skills reminded me of Sapphire's faith in me. "That's the plan," I replied.

"Unfortunately it's not that simple, Pearl." Diamond told her daughter. "This is very dangerous."

"And so was rescuing us the first time. But they did it. And they'll do it again."

Marcus spoke now. "She's right," He stated. "If Sapphire is alive, we'll do what we need to do."

Marcus bid farewell to Ruby and his child, and as he did I couldn't help to feel guilty. I saw on Ruby's face the same expression that Sapphire used to have when I would leave. Since we had rescued the girls from the City, Ruby and Marcus had been closer than ever. If she hadn't loved him before, she certainly did now.

Ruby handed her son over to Marcus so that he could hold him one last time before we left. As she handed him over, she turned her eyes to me.  
"Save my sister, and make sure he comes back to me," she told me. "I won't raise my son fatherless."

I nodded once to her, and she turned her attention back to her son and husband. As she removed the small child from his father's arms, the baby began to cry. It was almost as though he realized that his father may never come back. Ruby shushed the baby as best as she could, but there was no quieting him now.  
I gave a final nod to Furiosa before I turned and climbed into the gyrocopter that would take us to the Stone City. Marcus climbed in after me, and we were off.  
Across from us sat Jax, who was looking steadily more anxious as the flight went on.

"Something wrong?" I asked the boy.

"I'm just thinking about how many different levels of treason this is," Jax replied. "If this doesn't work out, I am royally fucked."

"Yeah, you don't need to tell us that," I growled back at him. "I'm sure we'll all be fucked together."

"I have done a lot of crazy shit in my lifetime," Marcus consented. "But I will say… I think this might be the craziest thing I've ever done. It's certainly the most suicidal."

"Positive thoughts, boys," Jedidiah called from his seat in the cockpit.

"Easy for you to fucking say," Jax muttered back. "Your only role in this is flying us from point A to point B. And you're getting handsomely paid no matter how this all turns out."

"These are minor details," Jedidiah replied. "I will be wishing you the best the whole time I'm waiting outside."

* * *

The sun had already set when we began our approach of the mountains. The tallest peak loomed before us, ever imposing—the peak the City lay beneath. I had never thought I would come back here.

We landed deep within the mountain range, and set off immediately for the city. Jedidah stayed behind, making his own campsite at the gyrocopter.

The trek through the mountains took the better part of two hours, but armed with a map made by Jedidiah we were able to make our way relatively quickly.

Eventually we reached a sewer grate. We removed it and journeyed through the tunnel, past air scrubbers, and eventually reached the entrance to the city. We worked as quickly as possible to get in before anyone noticed us.

We were dumped out in the Under City, and immediately began the work of blending in with the other citizens. The Under City seemed to have gotten worse in the months since our absence. Starving people roamed the streets, several slept beside buildings or begged for credits. We followed closely behind Jax through the alleyways, and eventually turned a corner. No sooner had we, than Jax immediately backtracked and turned us around.

"We can't go there," he muttered to us as he walked the opposite direction. "The house is compromised."

"What do you mean compromised?" I asked him.

"Doyle's men. They're outside my house, watching it."

"Doyle?" I asked. This name was unfamiliar to me.

"Ah, that's right. You haven't met him yet. Graves' top lieutenant. He's the one who's really been running things lately, while Graves plays King. But that doesn't do us any favors, he might be worse than Graves."

"Does he know we're here?" Marcus asked.

"No," Jax replied. "I don't think so at least. I think this has to do with May, not me. Regardless, there's somewhere else we can go. A man named Simeon. He'll help us."

"May? The old woman?" I asked. "What does she have to do with this?"

"She's Sapphire's handmaiden now. Doyle's developed this conspiracy theory. He suspects Sapphire has contacts within the city and that she might be planning moves against Graves. Obviously he believes May to be one of Sapphire's contacts. He must've assigned someone to watch the house since I've been gone, see who comes and goes."

"So what you're saying is, he's close to finding out the truth," Marcus finished.

"Yeah. Pretty much."

"Which is why we've been called so urgently."

"You're a sharp guy, Marcus. I'll give you that," Jax retorted.

Jax walked up to a house and banged on the front door. It opened, and an older man whom I presumed to be Simeon stood at the door. He eyed Marcus and I suspiciously, and Jax spoke.

"They're friends. Trust me. But we need a place to go right now."

"Eh.. If ya say so," Simeon muttered. He opened the door to let us pass. We walked in, and the door shut behind us.

"Now, who're ya bringing in my home at this hour?" The man asked as he shut the door. He turned around as we lowered our hoods, and immediately he took several steps back and fell into the door, flustered.

"Dear God Jax. What the hell are ya thinking boy?! Ya bring two Deathlords of a dead king into my home?"

"Remember that plan we were talking about? It's happening. Now."

"I can clearly see that," Simeon answered. "I assume ya have a good reason for bringing 'em here of all places?"

"My place is being watched. No one suspects an innocent old man."

"Eh, just like no one suspects an innocent ol' woman? It's May that gone got the house gettin' watched now?"

"… Yeah."

"Hmph… Well I suppose they could stay here. So long as Graves' men don't be coming 'round."

I nodded to the man. "Thank you," I muttered.

"We'll go get you boys settled upstairs. Can't have ya by the windows."

After we were settled, Jax, Marcus, and myself all sat around a table upstairs in Simeon's house. Jax began speaking.

"So. I need to prove Sapphire is alive. I can tomorrow," he stated.

"What's the plan?" Marcus asked.

"Sapphire only leaves the palace for one reason. To go to the hospital. She goes once every two weeks, escorted by Graves and some guards. Luckily, tomorrow just happens to be the day. You won't get to talk to her, but she'll be in public and you can see her for yourself."

I nodded in agreement, and it wasn't long before we went to bed. I hardly slept the entire night, my anxiety and the voices in my head pestering me non-stop. Soon, though, it was morning and we were off.

We dressed as poor citizens. Threadbare clothing, hoods over our heads, Marcus even managed a convincing limp. We immediately blended in with the crowds at the market, and Jax led us toward the route he knew my wife would be taking. All that was left to do now was wait.

* * *

I laid in bed beside Graves, one of his arms hooked securely around my waist. His beard and breath tickled the back of my neck, and the only sound in the room was the huge man's quiet snores.

I hadn't slept well at all. I'd done nothing but toss and turn at night since Jax had left to go retrieve Max. There was still no word on whether or not that mission had been a success.

I felt Graves shift behind me and pull me closer toward him.

"What's the time?" He grumbled out.

"Almost nine."

He let out a small growl of frustration before he released me and rolled out of bed. I heard him exit the room and speak a few harsh words to someone in the living room of the home. It was nearly time for my appointment with doctor Stone. I dressed quickly and it wasn't long at all before Graves and I were on our way to the hospital, a small unit of guards in tow. Graves offered me his arm outside the palace, and we walked arm in arm down the steps and toward the hospital. I was looking around, nodding to people occasionally as I recognized a face in the crowd. I got out of the palace very rarely nowadays, and liked to see the faces of the people every now and again. I was scanning the crowd once more when I saw something that made my breath catch in my chest.  
There was a man standing in the crowd, a hood covering his face. But the broadness of his shoulders and the way he held himself… It was all too familiar. Perhaps I was just getting my hopes up. I needed to see his eyes, that's how I would really know—if only he would look up at me.

We progressed onward through the crowd and I grew closer to the man, and the closer I got to him the faster my heart was beating. Soon we were near one another, just a few people separating us. And then the man lifted his head, and I glimpsed under the hood and met his eyes. His face was grizzled, his beard long, longer than I'd ever seen it. But I'd recognize those steel eyes anywhere. It was Max.

I almost said his name aloud, but stopped myself at the last second and instead made an audible gasp as I locked eyes with him. My eyes filled with tears and my heart filled with joy. Graves turned to look at me urgently as I gasped, and then his eyes flicked over to where mine had been. I clutched at my stomach and made another pained gasp, and clutched onto Graves as I did.

"The baby!" I feigned. "Something's not right."

Graves forgot all about where I'd been looking and turned toward me. "Are you alright?" He asked, his voice urgent.

"There's a sharp pain here," I pretended, guiding his attention to some area on my stomach. He paid attention to the area and I looked past him at the crowd. Max was nowhere to be seen. My eyes scanned over and over but I couldn't find any trace of him in the crowd. I turned my attention to Graves now, who was looking at me with concern all over his face.

"I- I don't know what happened," I stammered. "It's still hurting."

Graves nodded once before kneeling down in front of me. "Put your arms around my neck," he ordered.

I did as I was bid, and Graves lifted me bridal-style into his arms. His guards cleared the way through the crowd toward the hospital, and I thanked Graves, but all the while I was looking through the crowd for a glimpse of Max's grey eyes once more.

* * *

Myself, Jax, and Marcus returned to Simeon's house. I could barely think straight for all the adrenaline flowing through my veins.

"That was some stunt you pulled," Jax hissed at me once the door was closed behind us. "You were just supposed to see her, that was all."

Jax had ordered me to stay a ways away, to observe from a distance as they passed. As soon as we had blended into the crowd I'd deliberately split off. I got close to where they were passing, right on the edge of the crowd with just a few people separating me from my wife. It had been foolish, that much I knew. But I had wanted to be close to her, just to get a chance that she might see me. And she had.

"She needs to know that I've come for her," I replied to Jax.

"You know who else almost saw that you came for her? Axel fucking Graves!"

"He didn't see me."

"You're goddamn lucky he didn't."

"Enough," Marcus cut in. "We know Sapphire is alive, and this clearly wasn't a trap. I need to return to Furiosa."

"I agree," I replied. I turned my attention to Jax. "And you, you need to get me face to face with her."

Jax laughed aloud. "You're joking right?"

"There has to be a way."

"She doesn't go anywhere without an armed guard. I'm sorry, Max, but seeing her in person is just not possible. I haven't spoken to her myself in five months and I've been living in the same city as her."

I scowled and dropped the subject for now. My desire to speak to Sapphire was overwhelming. In my head I thought that if I could just hear her voice again things might make more sense.

"I will leave for the Citadel tonight," Marcus continued, ignoring Jax and I's squabbling. "Try not to screw anything up until then." That last comment was directed at me. I grunted in response.

"The plan that we came up with last night?" Jax asked. "Is what you'll pitch to Furiosa?"

Marcus nodded. "Are you coming with me, Max?"

I shook my head, "I'll stay here for now." Wherever Sapphire existed was where I wanted to be.

"Very well," Marcus nodded to me. "Until we meet again, my friend."

I nodded to him, and he flipped his hood up and left the house.

"I need to see her," I told Jax once more.

"I can't make that happen, I'm sorry," Jax replied.

I shook my head. "No. We'll find a way."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. If you did, as always make sure you drop me a review, I love getting the feedback from you guys. New update coming next Sunday!


	31. Chapter 31: Confluence

Thank you everyone for reading the last chapter! I'm glad you all enjoyed it, and I hope you like this chapter as well.

A special thank you to all my reviewers; Crazy Redwood, Jade, beachchick3, Kei-Kugody, kmhappybunny240, CaptainFusou, and my guest reviewer. Thank you all so much for taking the time to review, hearing your feedback really motivates me.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 31: Confluence

It had been four days since I had seen Max in the marketplace. May had confirmed to me that Jax had indeed managed to smuggle him into the city. But ever since I had caught sight of him in the crowd my mind had become a jumbled mess. I was unfocused, as my thoughts constantly wandered to Max and how near we were to being reunited. It was agony that he was so close and yet so far from me, and his presence in the city affected my masquerade with Graves as well. With the knowledge of my true husband alive and so close it was nearly impossible for me to feign attraction and lust for Graves, and to keep up the masquerade of my love for him. Thankfully I was able to brush off my shift in mood as a symptom of my pregnancy.  
Graves had gone out of the city for the night, and so I was on my own in my quarters. I'd just finished my bath for the evening, and was brushing out my hair absentmindedly in my room when May hurried into it.

"Is everything alright?" I asked her. She looked flustered as she entered my room, and I had thought she'd gone home for the evening.

"Come now," she ordered me. "We don't have much time."

"Come where?" I asked her.

"We were able to call off the guards but they will return soon."

I realized suddenly she meant Max. "He's here?" I asked breathlessly.

"Come," she ordered me.

I stood and hurried after May into my living room.

I froze as soon as I entered the room, my shock making me still. Max was standing there, wearing a uniform normally reserved for Graves' men. I noticed that he was markedly thinner than the last time I'd seen him and that his beard was long now, and tinted with gray. He looked older and more worried than I'd ever seen him. I didn't know what to say, or do, or even think. I was stunned, and it looked like he was too. He took one hesitant step toward me and as he did I seemed to wake up from my trance—I closed the distance between us in a few hurried steps and threw my arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. I let out a small sob as I squeezed him against me.

"You're alive," I whispered. "You came back."

"I had a promise to keep," he answered.

I cried tears of joy and pulled away from him to look up at him. Our eyes met for a moment, before he pulled me towards him and kissed me. I kissed him back, and the world stilled. For a moment I forgot about everything else, about the City and Graves, and May standing a few feet away. I got lost in kissing him, and held onto him for fear of the moment ending and our inevitable descent into reality. When we finally broke free, I met his eyes with mine and ran my fingertips along his face and into his beard.

"You grew a beard," I managed to say with a small laugh.

He laughed and nodded. "Your mother hates it."

"I think it suits you," I told him.

He glanced down to my stomach and the ever-growing bump there. "We're having a baby?" he asked me.

"I nodded. It's yours," I whispered against his lips. "I swear on my life it's your baby."

He nodded and reached a hand toward my small bump. When his fingers touched against me he smiled and let out a small laugh.

"You're going to be a father, Max."

He looked back up at me and pulled me into another kiss.

"Sapphire I'm sorry. I never should have left you," he murmured against my lips when he pulled away. "I should've gone back."

I shook my head and stroked his face affectionately. "It doesn't matter now. Everything will be made right soon."

He nodded in agreement and pressed his forehead against mine. "I've missed you more than you can imagine."

"I've missed you too," I whispered back. "God I missed you so much."

He wiped away my tears with his thumb and continued to hold me. I buried my head into his chest and cherished the feel of his arms around me. I'd thought I was never going to see him again, and yet here he was in the flesh. Holding him felt like I was home.

"I'm going to fix it," he told me. "I'm going to free you from all of this, and then we can be together again."

I nodded in agreement and was going to speak but I was interrupted by May.

"I hate to break this up but we really don't have much time," she said. "We have to get him out before someone realizes you don't have a guard."

I looked at May desperately as she reminded us our time was running out. "So soon?" I asked her.

"She's right," Max told me. I turned back to him as he said the words and I shook my head. I knew I was being foolish, but I'd finally touched him again. After half a year I'd heard his voice. I wasn't ready to say goodbye.

"Please," I told him. "Not yet."

"I'm sorry love." His voice sounded pained, and I knew this must be as difficult for him as it was for me. "We'll see each other again soon," he promised. I nodded in agreement before I pulled him toward me to kiss him again. We had just broken apart when the doorknob to the house rattled. It was locked, and did not open.

Max's eyes jerked to the door, and I looked toward May.

"Who is that?" I mouthed to her.

She shook her head and whispered her response, "I have no idea. No one should be here."

"You need to hide" I whispered to Max urgently. He nodded and kissed my forehead before he walked into my room and disappeared.

"Sapphire?!" I recognized the harsh voice on the other side of the door immediately. James Doyle. "Sapphire, where is your guard?"

"Doyle," I whispered. I looked at May before I wiped the tears from my eyes and tried to clean my face.

The door shook again and then jumped as he slammed his fist into it several times. "Open the door!"

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself before I walked forward and opened the door. "Can I help you, Mr. Doyle? I assume you have a reason for calling on me at this hour?"

"Where's your guard?" He asked me.

"I've been inside how should I know?"

Doyle pushed past me, bumping me as he did, and into my quarters. He pointed an accusing finger at May. "I'll bet she knows where he went."

As he rounded on May, I closed the door to the house.

"There's no need to accuse May of anything," I told him, attempting to diffuse the situation. "He's probably just wandered off to get some water or use the bathroom."

He turned on me now, and took several steps toward me. "No. There were three voices in here, a man's voice. Who's in here?"

"No one," I lied.

"You've been crying," he told me. "I can see it in your eyes. Why so sad, my Queen?"

I didn't answer him.

May walked forward toward Doyle. "It has been the two of us, this whole evening," she told Doyle. "We don't know where the guard went, I swear-"

I jumped when Doyle backhanded May across the face. She staggered back, clutching her face, and I yelled.

"What's wrong with you?!" I screamed at him.

"Who's here?" he asked me again.

"No one," I answered once more.

"Alright," he replied evenly. He walked forward and grabbed ahold of May. She cried out as he grabbed her, and I let out an involuntary "No!" as he did.

"Let go of her," I ordered him, my voice like ice.

Doyle drew his gun and held it to May's head. "Who is here? Where are they?"

"No one," I muttered again.

He pulled the hammer back on the gun. "Where are they?" he asked me again.

I didn't mean to give it away. My eyes flicked for just a second toward the back of the house, toward my room, and then back at Doyle.

"Very well then," he answered, a grin on his face. He shoved May to the ground and she fell hard, harder than a woman her age should fall. I rushed to her side, tears streaming down my face, and held onto her as she gasped for breath.

"May I'm so sorry," I told her. I held her in my lap and looked down the hall, where Doyle was marching toward my closed bedroom door.

Doyle kicked my bedroom door open, and walked into the room. He wasn't in the room for more than a few seconds when Max seemed to materialize from thin air behind him. I saw the glint of a knife just before it was plunged into Doyle several times. Doyle gasped and gurgled but didn't scream, and eventually slumped to the floor, lifeless, a pool of blood slowly growing around him.

Max looked at me from the end of the hall, and I ran toward him. As soon as I was upon him I threw my arms around his neck and held him against me. We only had a few seconds before I broke away from him.

"Go now," I told him. "I'll deal with this."

He shook his head, "I killed him. Let me take his body."

"No, they'll find the evidence here no matter what and wonder what happened to the body. He has to stay." I snatched the knife out of Max's hand and took it in my own. "I'll tell them I did it," I told him.

"No, Sapphire-"

"Yes. I'll lie. I'll say he came in here and attacked me and I defended myself. I am in Graves' good graces he will hear me out. But you need to leave, before anyone sees you."

Max hesitated, clearly against leaving me alone to deal with the mess. But we didn't have much other choice.

He lifted his non-bloodied hand to my face and stroked my skin with his thumb. "I love you," he told me. "More than anything, Sapphire. I will see you again soon, and I will keep our family safe."

I nodded. "I know. I love you, Max." I kissed him again before I pushed him toward the exit. He looked back at me one last time before he left the room and was gone.

I turned to Doyle's body. I rubbed my hands in his blood and smeared it on my dress. I held the knife in my hand and counted in my head. When I'd counted thirty seconds, I began to scream. A terrified, blood-curdling, scream.

"Somebody help!" I screamed. "Please, somebody help us!"

It didn't take much of my screaming to bring guards bursting into my chambers. A few stopped first at May, examining her, and the rest came to me.

"Are you alright my Queen?" one of them asked me.

"He attacked me and my handmaiden," I told them, my hands shaking and tears streaming down my face. "I let him in the house, and he tried to attack me. I hid in my room but he broke in - oh god- please I had no choice!"

One of the guards nodded and tried comforting me, while the others swarmed around Doyle's body. I let the knife slide from my trembling fingers and onto the floor.

"Please," I begged the guard. "Send for the King. I need to speak with him."

* * *

My heart was still pounding when I finally escaped the palace and out into the city. It hadn't been long after I'd left that I'd heard Sapphire's scream, and guards came rushing to her aid. Her distraction actually made it easier for me to escape the palace, and I was able to leave unharassed. I stripped of the bloody guard's uniform and back into my threadbare clothes as quickly as I could and stashed the bloody clothes in my bag for the time being. When I reached the Under City I was able to rinse the blood off of my hands in the reservoir. When I finally returned to Simeon's house the first thing I did was burn the uniform in his fireplace.

"What happened?" Jax asked me as soon as he saw me burning the uniform.

"I saw her," I answered. I didn't want to deal with Jax nagging me right now.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"Not well."

"She wasn't happy to see you?"

"She was. Doyle wasn't."

"Doyle saw you?!" Jax exclaimed. "We need to leave, right now. Why didn't you bring her with you?"

"He's dead now, I killed him. Sapphire is taking the blame."

"Holy shit," Jax muttered. "This is a disaster."

"We have to trust that she can handle this. How long before the Citadel arrives?"

"Anytime in the next 48 hours is my best guess," Jax answered. "But if Graves kills Sapphire before they get here then I suppose it's all for nothing isn't it?"

"He won't kill her," I answered. I was telling Jax, but I was telling myself too. I had to believe he wouldn't kill her. It was the only way I was able to leave earlier, with a body still lying in her room.

"Maybe we got lucky," Jax muttered, clearly trying to make the best of the situation. "With Doyle gone the odds of Graves discovering our plan have pretty much evaporated, unless something dramatic happens in the next day or so."

"Maybe," I answered back. My mind was recounting every detail of the time I'd spent in the palace. How many guards there were and where, which hallways offered the most cover. But it wasn't long before my mind inevitably drifted to my wife. I sat down in an armchair in the living room and looked into the flames that were eating away at the uniform. I'd finally gotten to see my wife, even if it was only for a few seconds and I'd had to kill somebody while I was doing it. In my mind, it was worth it. She was just as stunning as I remembered her. To hear her voice again, to feel her skin on mine—it had felt like I was caught in one of my dreams again. And to see her pregnant—that had been surreal too. I knew how much time she'd spent with Graves, what he had done with her—yet I still believed that it was my child. I trusted her, I knew she would tell the me the truth no matter what it was.

I drummed my fingers along the armchair and tried not to let my mind run. I knew they'd call Graves and he would be back here soon. I thought of the last time I'd seen the man, when he'd tossed a grenade under my vehicle and nearly killed me. He'd looked so gleeful, so confident in his plan and his victory. He'd known as soon as Marcus and I were out of the picture that he was going to win. I imagined he'd held the same look of victory when he found Sapphire alive and well once more.

I couldn't help when my mind drifted to the palace, and what Graves might do to my wife. I thought about him killing her, but mostly I thought about him touching her. Jealousy pounded through my veins, hot and violent. I wasn't going to be able to take much more of this waiting—if the Citadel didn't come soon I might take matters into my own hands.

* * *

I was trembling from head to toe in the King's Chambers when Graves burst through the door. I gasped as his door banged open, terrified. I didn't know what was about to happen to me and was very aware that tonight could be the night I died.

Graves looked more intimidating than ever as he glared at me. His eyes were dark and unreadable, his jaw clenched in anger. I met his eyes, but I didn't bother trying to disguise my fear of him. The emotion was too overwhelming, and I had every right to be afraid.

"Leave us," he growled at the guards that had been waiting with me. They walked out of the room with hurried steps and closed the door behind them.

"What happened?" he asked me from across the room, his fists clenched tightly.

I still hadn't changed out of my blood-stained dress, and I was up to my elbows in Doyle's dried blood. I felt tears begin to flow down my face as I began to speak.

"He- he started banging on my door as May was helping me ready for bed. I opened the door for him and he told me that I was alone—that my guards were all gone. He came at me, but May got in the way and he hit her and pushed her down. I managed to get away and hide in my room." My tears overwhelmed me at this point, and my eyes fell to the floor. I was too terrified to say the next words.

I heard the sound of Graves' boots as he walked toward me, my body flinching involuntarily with each step he took. He came to tower over me, and as he did a terrified sob came from within my chest.

"Stop crying," he ordered me. I didn't dare look up at him, I was too afraid. I tried to stifle my tears and took several deep breaths in. The crying abated somewhat and became silent tears streaming down my face, but my fear only intensified. I flinched as I felt his fingertips on my chin but didn't fight him when he raised my head to look me in the eye.

I couldn't read anything from his eyes, the normal chocolate-brown color of them seemed jet-black now— and with his clenched jaw and straight-lined mouth his face was equally as unreadable.

"Finish," he ordered me. "Now."

I took another breath to steady myself before I spoke. "He forced the door to my room open. I was hiding and as soon as he came in I stabbed him. I didn't want to, Axel please you have to believe me I didn't have a choice."

He released my face but still glared down at me. He reached onto his belt and unsheathed a large knife, and I recognized instantly the knife that Max had used to kill Doyle. Graves raised it before both of us, turning it side to side and examining it.

"This is a nice knife. 8 inches, military-grade it looks like," he lowered the blade until it was just touching my neck with the tip. "Where did you get this, Sapphire?"

I took a sharp breath in as I felt the prick of the blade on my neck. "I had been hiding it for months," I lied.

"Where did you get the knife?" he growled. "Don't make me ask you again."

"You moved me into the Queen's quarters," I told him. "It's my mother's old room. There's a false drawer in the dresser, it has a secret compartment. She hid knives there when we all lived here." At least all of that was true. "I found it after you moved me to that room."

"Are there more of them?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Were you planning on killing me?" He asked.

I thought back to a time so long ago, when Max had pressed me up against the wall and asked me the same question.

"No!" I stated without a second of hesitation. "No. That was never my intention I swear."

"Then why keep it?"

"In case I had to," I answered. "In case of something like last night."

Graves stared down at me for a second longer before he removed the knife from my neck and sheathed it at his side again. He lifted his hand now to my neck and brushed the skin there with his fingers. The contrast between Graves' fingers and the knife he'd held there moments before was a welcome one. He held me there for a moment before he ran his thumb over my cheek several times. His eyes didn't seem as dark as they were before—he seemed more like the man I had gotten used to living with. "Are you alright?" he asked me, his voice low and gentle now.

I nodded and he reached forward with his other hand and pulled me toward him. He pressed his lips against my forehead and I let out a small sob of relief as he did. He pulled me into his chest and I wrapped my arms around him before I began to cry again.

"Easy, easy," he shushed me as he ran his fingers through my hair over and over, the gentle tug soothing the intensity of my sobs somewhat. "It's alright," he told me. "He's gone now."

I nodded into his chest and continued to cry. I was overwhelmingly relieved that he had believed me, and took a strange comfort in being held by him.

"Is May alright?" I asked through my tears.

"She's broken her hip. I don't know that she'll make it, I'm sorry Sapphire. We will do everything that we can for her though."

I let out another small sob as guilt wracked my body. If it hadn't been for me, May would've never been in harms way. If she died, her blood was on my hands. I realized suddenly that during the battle to retake the city, anyone's lives that were lost were technically my fault as well. "It's my fault," I whispered out. "She was just trying to protect me."

"No. This is my fault," he murmured into my hair. "I knew of his dislike for you but I didn't believe he would act on it. I would've never left him alone here if I'd known he was going to try to hurt you."

"It's okay," I answered. His understanding response was making guilt pool in my stomach. "You didn't know."

He pulled away from me and raised my chin with his fingers once more. He wiped what was left of my tears from my face with his thumbs before he leaned down and kissed me. When he pulled me towards him I felt an intensity and desperation from his kiss that surprised me. He held me close against him as he kissed me, one hand tangling itself in my hair and the other pulling my waist toward him. I realized he was relieved that I hadn't been hurt. I reached up to his neck and pulled him down toward me, intensifying the kiss further. I was so happy that he believed me that it wasn't hard to make it feel genuine. For now, Max and our secret plot was safe from Graves.

Graves pulled away from me a few moments later but continued to hold me close against him. "Let's go clean up," he told me. "It's been a long night."

I nodded in agreement and he laced his fingers through mine before he headed toward the bathroom.

* * *

A/N: Thank you all for reading and as always leave me a review!


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